BODY-IMAGE PERCEPTION IN PREADOLESCENT AND POSTADOLESCENT FEMALES

The purpose of this study was to examine both perceived and ideal body -image to establish if the process of adolescence was a contributory f actor. A distorting mirror and silhouette pictures were used to examin e the image in two groups of 59 pre- and 41 postadolescent girls. The girls' perception of themselves was reasonably accurate yet both group s had a significantly slimmer mean ideal image, irrespective of adoles cent status. The differences between the two groups were nonsignifican t whether using the distorting mirror or the pictures. The only differ ence to be observed was when using a body-satisfaction scale. The post adolescents were significantly less satisfied about their nonhead body parts. Scores from the mirror and the pictures question the assumptio n that body-image dissatisfaction is a postadolescent phenomenon. This should be a cause for concern as eating disorders, which appear to be linked to body-image, are being observed in younger children. The com parability between scores for the pictures and the distorting mirror o pens the possibility of home-based therapy in the treatment of percept ual and eating disorders.