A CROSS-CULTURAL-PERSPECTIVE ON ADOLESCENT GIRLS BODY PERCEPTION

The purpose of the study was to examine the body perception of 122 jam aican adolescent girls. The study is a part of a larger project invest igating the psychosocial adjustment of these adolescents. Included in the survey were items asking for demographic information such as heigh t, weight, and age. In addition, subjects were asked to indicate wheth er they were pregnant and whether they considered themselves under- or overweight. Using the standard system of desirable weight the subject s' perceptions of whether they were under- or overweight were compared with their actual weights. In general, jamaican adolescent girls had accurate perceptions of their body size and weight.