An assessment of body image and self-esteem among middle-aged women

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1986

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Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Abstract

Research on midlife women provided evidence of negative perceptions of and reactions to aging and its accompanying physiological and emotional changes. Previous investigations revealed a plethora of information about midlife physiological changes, but provided little other information pertinent to understanding perceptions of body image among middle-aged women. The purpose of this study was to examine a neglected population, middle-aged women, using an in-depth concept of body image.

Interviews were conducted with 40 randomly selected middle-aged women ranging in age from 35-55 years. The body image survey consisted of instruments to assess the following concepts: physiological changes; body appearance; dissatisfactions and satisfactions about health, fitness, and physical appearance; others' appraisals of health, fitness, and physical appearance; and self-esteem. The conclusive finding from the multiple regression analysis was that there were no significant relationships between body image and self-esteem among middle-aged women.

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