Depression and Body Image Essay -- Psychology Health Essays

Depression and trunk ImageAmerican society places a tremendous emphasis on material behavior. Many adolescent girls go to great lengths to achieve these unrealistic standards of thinness. Eating disorders have become a prevalent disease in Western society. Dissatisfaction with ones physical appearance is viewed as a core lineament of eating disorders. A negative automobile trunk image is also a common feature associated with depression. There appears to be a link, although unclear, between depression and a silly body image.Adolescence is a tumultuous period in ones flavor. Bodies of adolescents are dramatically changing, and these physical changes are associated with changes in body image. Body image pertains to how individuals view and assign meaning to their own bodies. It is a comment of body structure and function, early and continuing body related experience, life long social response to body appearance, and sociocultural values and ideals regarding the body (Reirdan, 19 97). Adolescence A Period of Dramatic ChangeA normative developmental task for both girls and boys is to assimilate pubertal change into a positively valued body image. This task is much difficult for girls than for boys girls are more concerned about attractiveness than boys, and they are less satisfied with their appearance (Rierdan, 1989). In a list of body areas, girls were more concerned that their thighs, target and hips were too large. Even normal to thin girls were highly likely to entrust smaller thighs, buttocks or hips. It is interesting to note that younger girls, elderly 10-12 years, were less likely to select areas of sexual attractiveness, but tended to be dissatisfy with areas such as teeth, face, and feet (Moore, 1993). It is clear th... ...ior in Adolescents. daybook of theAmerican College of Nutrition, 12, 505-510.Morey, D., Morey, L. (1991). The assailable Body Image of Females with Feelings of Depression. Journal of Research in Personality, 25, 343-354. Noles, S., Cash, T., Winstead, B. (1985). Body Image, tangible Attractiveness, and Depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53, 88-94.Rierdan, J., Koff, E., Stubbs, M. (1987). Depressive Symptomolgy and Body Image in Adolescent Girls. Journal of Early Adolescence, 7, 205-216. Rierdan, J., Koff, E., Stubbs, M. (1988). Gender, Depression, and Body Image inAdolescents. Journal of Early Adolescence, 8, 109-117.Rierdan, J., Koff, E., Stubbs, M. (1987). A Longitudinal Analysis of Body Image as a soothsayer of the Onset and Persistence of Adolescent Girls Depression. Journal of Early Adolescence, 7, 205-216.