A Study On The Influencing Factors And Their Internal Relations Of Middle School Students' Body Image

Middle school students at puberty are often more concerned about their physical appearance, also susceptible to the influence of the media and peers and thus have a negative body image. This study systematically investigated the characteristics, influence factors among middle school students’body image. Study1in which1214middle school students as the research object, uses the questionnaire to explore the characteristics of middle school students’body image, and to investigate middle school students’body image’s relationship with the tendency of thin body among different BMI groups. Study2with1027middle school students as the research object, investigated the characteristics of negative body image in middle school students’, and contructed a mediating model for negative body image predicting. The conclusions of two studies demonstrate that:(1)The characteristics of middle school students’body image:firstly, boys is significantly higher than girls in appearance evaluation. And girls are significantly higher than boys in many aspects including obesity anxiety, self classified weight, fat, the general feature, the media information perception, media pressure and peer influence; Middle school students hope to become taller. In terms of weight, boys want to become stronger and more powerful, however girls want to become more thinner and lighter. Secondly, different grades, different ages and different BMI groups of middle school students have a significant difference in negative body image, appearance, short, fat, media information perception, media pressure, peer influence and internalization of body-ideal. Thirdly, the middle school students who have rich families are significantly higher than others in appearance evaluation, appearance orientation and obesity anxiety. In addition, the students whose parents’have higher level of education in college and above have higher appearance evaluation than others, and similarly their obesity anxiety level is higher. What’s more, the scores of the one-child are significantly lower than the non-only child condition on low and negative body image of body-ideal. And the one-child scores are significantly higher than non-only children on peer influence and girls’internalization of body-ideal.(2)The relationship between middle school student’s body image and the factors:For both girls and boys, the significant positive correlation was found between negative body image and all factors. The significant positive correlation was found between internalization of body-ideal and media information perception, media pressure, peer influence. Besides, the significant positive correlation was found between girls" BMI and negative body image, short, fat, the general feature, media information perception, media pressure, peer influence, internalization of body-ideal. What’s more, boys’BMI and appearance, short, fat, the general feature, peer influence has significant positive correlation.The tendency of thin body can positively predicte by the obesity anxiety, behavioral intention, appearance concerns and self classified weight. On the opposite, the tendency of thin body can negatively predicte by appearance evaluation.(3)The influence factors model of negative body image:internalization of body-ideal is an important mediational mechanism. Peer influence, media pressure and media information have an indirect impact on negative body image. Peer influence, media pressure and girls" internalization of body-ideal have a direct impact on negative body image.The education of the present study suggest that:(1) to guide the students objectively understand themselves;(2) to modify the evaluation standards and foster a positive environment for acceptance and love;(3) to guide students the corrective application of psychological defense mechanism;(4) to cultivate middle school students’impartial attitude toward gender and self value;(5) to develop and improve students sound media literacy and ability.