TEASING, BODY-IMAGE, AND SELF-ESTEEM IN A CLINICAL-SAMPLE OF OBESE WOMEN

This study examined the relationship of physical-appearance-related te asing history to body image and self-esteem in a clinical sample of ad ult obese females. The frequency of being teased about weight and size while growing up was negatively correlated with evaluation of one's a ppearance and positively correlated with body dissatisfaction during a dulthood. Self-esteem was unrelated to teasing history but covaried si gnificantly with body image measures. Subjects with early-onset obesit y reported greater body dissatisfaction than did subjects with adult-o nset obesity. The findings suggest that being teased about weight/size while growing up may represent a risk factor for the development of n egative body image and that self-esteem and body image covary.