TY - JOUR
T1 - Body Shame in 7–12-Year-Old Girls and Boys: The Role of Parental Attention to Children’s Appearance
AU - Pecini, Chiara
AU - Di Bernardo, Gian Antonio
AU - Crapolicchio, Eleonora
AU - Vezzali, Loris
AU - Andrighetto, Luca
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Guided by the Tripartite Influence Model and Objectification Theory, we examined whether parents’ attention to their children’s appearance was related to higher body shame in girls and boys. In Study 1 (N = 195) and 2 (N = 163), we investigated 7-12-year-old children’s metaperceptions about parents’ attention to their appearance and its association with children’s body shame. In Study 3, we examined the link between parents’ self-reported attention to their children’s appearance and children’s body shame among parent-child triads (N = 70). Results demonstrated that both children’s metaperceptions and fathers’ self-reported attention to children’s appearance were associated with body shame in children. Furthermore, when mothers’ and fathers’ attitudes toward their children were analyzed simultaneously, only fathers’ attention to their children’s appearance was associated with greater body shame in girls and boys. Notably, no gender differences emerged, suggesting that parents’ attention to their children’s appearance was not differentially related to body shame in girls and boys. These results remained significant when controlling for other sources of influence, namely peer and media influence, both of which were found to have a strong association with body shame in children. Theoretical and practical implications of our findings are discussed.
AB - Guided by the Tripartite Influence Model and Objectification Theory, we examined whether parents’ attention to their children’s appearance was related to higher body shame in girls and boys. In Study 1 (N = 195) and 2 (N = 163), we investigated 7-12-year-old children’s metaperceptions about parents’ attention to their appearance and its association with children’s body shame. In Study 3, we examined the link between parents’ self-reported attention to their children’s appearance and children’s body shame among parent-child triads (N = 70). Results demonstrated that both children’s metaperceptions and fathers’ self-reported attention to children’s appearance were associated with body shame in children. Furthermore, when mothers’ and fathers’ attitudes toward their children were analyzed simultaneously, only fathers’ attention to their children’s appearance was associated with greater body shame in girls and boys. Notably, no gender differences emerged, suggesting that parents’ attention to their children’s appearance was not differentially related to body shame in girls and boys. These results remained significant when controlling for other sources of influence, namely peer and media influence, both of which were found to have a strong association with body shame in children. Theoretical and practical implications of our findings are discussed.
KW - Body image
KW - Body shame
KW - Children
KW - Gender
KW - Objectification theory
KW - Parent
KW - Tripartite influence model
KW - Body image
KW - Body shame
KW - Children
KW - Gender
KW - Objectification theory
KW - Parent
KW - Tripartite influence model
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/303906
U2 - 10.1007/s11199-023-01385-7
DO - 10.1007/s11199-023-01385-7
M3 - Article
SN - 0360-0025
VL - 89
SP - 82
EP - 95
JO - Sex Roles
JF - Sex Roles
ER -