Insoddisfazione corporea e differenze di genere in adolescenza: il ruolo di indice di massa corporea, autostima e fattori socioculturali

Summary. A biopsychosocial framework was adopted in this study, the aim of which was to examine the role of body mass index (BMI), self-esteem and sociocultural factors in influencing male and female adolescents’ body dissatisfaction levels. A questionnaire was administered to 423 boys and 339 girls aged 14 to 18. Correlations and path analysis indicated that the factors taken into account were more explicative of girls’ than boys’ body dissatisfaction. While BMI, self-esteem and perceived pressure were found to be significant antecedents of body dissatisfaction in boys and girls, internalization of a thin ideal appeared to be a robust predictor only for girls. These findings can provide useful indications for planning health interventions addressed to reduce both genders’ body dissatisfaction during adolescence.