Click here to download

Body satisfaction and attitude towards cosmetic surgery. A study about gender differences in a sample of Italian adolescents
Journal Title: PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE 
Author/s: Elena Gatti, Maria Giulia Olivari, Marta Santini, Emanuela Confalonieri 
Year:  2018 Issue: 1 Language: Italian 
Pages:  12 Pg. 116-127 FullText PDF:  235 KB
DOI:  10.3280/PDS2018-001007
(DOI is like a bar code for intellectual property: to have more infomation:  clicca qui   and here 


The study investigates the attitude towards cosmetic surgery in a sample of 296 adoles-cents (39% boys; 61% girls) aged 14 to 18 (M = 15.78; DS = 1.3) attending high school in the North of Italy. Three are the main aims of the present study: 1) to evaluate gender differences regarding: body perception, body satisfaction and attitude toward cosmetic surgery; 2) to investigate, separately for gender, relationship between: body perception and body satisfaction, BMI and attitude toward cosmetic surgery; 3) to evaluate, separately for gender, the presence of significative differensces due to pubertal status in relation to attitude toward cosmetic surgery. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire investigating body perception and satisfaction, pubertal status, body mass index and attitude toward cosmetic surgery. The results indicate that girls are more interested in cosmetic surgery, especially when they are not satisfied with their appearance and their weight. Moreover they identify intrapersonal advantages in cosmetic surgery. The link between body dissatisfaction and interest in cosmetic surgery emerged also among males, who identify mainly in cosmetic surgery social advantages. The study contributes to better understand the growing interest in cosmetic surgery by adolescents, suggesting important implications for the design of health promotion interventions.
Keywords: Adolescence, cosmetic surgery, body satisfaction, attitude.

  1. Fenton C., Brooks F., Spencer H.N. and Morgan A. (2010). Sustainig a positive body image in adolescence: an asset-based analysis. Health Social and Care Community, 18: 189-198.
  2. Alparone F.R., Prezza M. e Camarda P. (2000). La misura dell’immagine corporea in età evolutiva. Bollettino di Psicologia Applicata, 231: 25-35.
  3. Alsaker F.D. and Flammer A. (2006). Pubertal maturation. In: Jackson S. and Goossens L., editors, Handbook of adolescent development. New York: Psychology Press, pp. 30-50.
  4. American Society of Plastic Surgeon (2016). Plastic surgery statistis report. Retrieved from https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/News/Statistics/2016/plastic-surgery-statistics-full-report-2016.pdf
  5. Ashikali E.M., Dittmar H., and Ayers S. (2014). The effect of cosmetic surgery reality tv shows on adolescent girls’ body image. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 3: 141-153.
  6. Ata R.N., Ludden A.B. and Lally M.M. (2007). The effects of gender and family, friend, and media influences on eating behaviors and body image during adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36: 1024-1037.
  7. Biolcati R., Ghigi R., Mameli C., and Passini S. (2017). What can I do with my body? Boys and girls facing body dissatisfaction. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 22: 283-295., DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2016.116774
  8. Bordo S. (2003). Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture and the Body. Berkeley: University of California Press.
  9. Callaghan G.M., Lopez A., Wong L., Northcross J. and Anderson K.R. (2011). Predicting consideration of cosmetic surgery in a college population: A continuum of body image disturbance and the importance of coping strategies. Body Image, 8: 267-274.
  10. Confalonieri E., Gatti E., Ionio C. and Traficante D. (2008). Body esteem scale: A validation on Italian adolescents. TPM–Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 15: 153-165.
  11. Delinsky S.S. (2005). Cosmetic Surgery: A Common and Accepted Form of Self‐Improvement? 1. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 35: 2012-2028.
  12. Fumusa T. e Lavanco G. (2013). Quando la chirurgia estetica diventa teen. Psicologia di comunità, 2: 79-90., DOI: 10.3280/PSC2013-00201
  13. Gatti E. (2012). “Specchio, specchio delle mie brame…”. L’immagine corporea in adolescenza: percorsi di ricerca e intervento. Milano: Vita e Pensiero.
  14. Gatti E., Corsano P., Majorano M., Confalonieri E. (2013). Percezione corporea e autostima: un confronto tra preadolescenti del Nord e Sud Italia. Psicologia Clinica dello Sviluppo, XVII: 139-150., DOI: 10.1449/7382
  15. Gatti E., Ionio C., Confalonieri E. (2011). Percezione e rappresentazione dell’immagine corporea in adolescenti con e senza disturbo alimentare. Ricerche Italiane in Psicologia, 2: 167-185., DOI: 10.3280/RIP2011-002002
  16. Gatti E., Ionio C., Traficante D. and Confalonieri E. (2014). “I like my body therefore i like myself”. How body image influences self-esteem in Italian adolescents. European Journal of Psychology, 10: 301-317.
  17. Graber J.A., Brooks-Gunn J. and Warren M.P. (2006). Pubertal effects on adjusment in girls: moving from demostrating effects to identifying pathways. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35: 391-401.
  18. Harter S. (1999). The construction of the self: A developmental perspective. New York: Guilford Press.
  19. Henderson-King D. and Henderson-King E. (2005). Acceptance of cosmetic surgery: Scale development and validation. Body Image, 2: 137-149.
  20. Hesse-Bibier S., Livingstone S., Ramirez D., Barko E. and Johnson A.L. (2010). Racial identity and body image among Black female college students attending predominantly white colleges. Sex Roles, 63: 697-711.
  21. Italian Association for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (2014). Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank. Statistics. Indagine di Aicpe sull’andamento della chirurgia e medicina estetica in Italia (2014). Retrived from: http://www.eoipso.it/include/comunicati/getfile.cfm?file_ID=1712.
  22. Lunde C. (2013). Acceptance of cosmetic surgery, body appreciation, body ideal internaliza-tion, and fashion blog reading among late adolescents in Sweden. Body Image, 10: 632-635.
  23. Markey C.N. and Markey P.M. (2005). Relations between body image and dieting behaviors: An examination of gender differences. Sex Roles, 53: 519-530.
  24. Markey C.N. and Markey P.M. (2009). Correlates of young women’s interest in obtaining cosmetic surgery. Sex Roles, 61, 158-166.
  25. McCabe M.P., Ricciardelli L.A. and Finemore J. (2002). The role of puberty, media and popularity with peers on strategies to increase weight, decrease weight and increase muscle tone among adolescents boys and girls. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 52: 145-153., DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3999(01)00272-
  26. McCabe M.P. and Ricciardelli L.A. (2004). Body image dissatisfaction among males across the lifespan: A review of past literature. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 56: 675-685., DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3999(03)00129-
  27. Mendelson B.K., Mendelson M.J. and White D.R. (2001). Body-esteem scale for adolescents and adults. Journal of Personality Assessment, 76: 90-106., DOI: 10.1207/S15327752JPA7601_
  28. Menzel J.E., Sperry S.L., Small B., Thompson J.K., Sarwer D.B. and Cash T.F. (2011). In-ternalization of appearance ideals and cosmetic surgery attitudes: A test of the tripartite influence model of body image. Sex Roles, 65: 469-477.
  29. Olivari M.G., Bonanomi A., Traficante D. e Confalonieri E. (2016). Se io fossi Ben: adolescenti a confronto con una ipotetica gravidanza. Psicologia della Salute, 2: 63-85., DOI: 10.3280/PDS2016-002004
  30. Petersen A.C., Crockett L., Richards M. and Boxer A. (1988). A self-report measure of pubertal status: Reliability, validity, and initial norms. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 17: 117-133., DOI: 10.1007/BF0153796
  31. Petrie T.A., Greenleaf C. and Martin S. (2010). Biopsychosocial and physical correlates of middle school boys’ and girls’ body satisfaction. Sex Roles, 63: 631-644.
  32. Rauste-von Wright M. (1989). Body image satisfaction in adolescent girls and boys: A longitudinal study. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 18: 71-83., DOI: 10.1007/BF0213924
  33. Sarwer D.B., Cash T.F., Magee L., Williams E.F., Thompson J.K., Roehrig M., Tantleff-Dunn S., Agliata A.K., Wilfley D.E., Amidon A.D., Anderson D.A., and Romanofski M. (2005). Female college students and cosmetic surgery: An investigation of experiences, attitudes, and body image. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 115: 931-938., DOI: 10.1097/01.PRS.0000153204.3706
  34. Sarwer D.B., Infield A.L. and Crerand C.E. (2009). Plastic surgery for children and adolescents. In: Thompson J.K. and Smolak L., editors, Body image, eating disorders, and obesity in youth (seconda edizione). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, pp. 303-325.
  35. Smolak L. and Stein J.A. (2010). A longitudinal investigation of gender role and muscle building in adolescent boys. Sex Roles, 63(9-10): 738-346.
  36. Shroff H. and Thompson J.K. (2006). Peer influences, body-image dissatisfaction, eating dysfunction and self-esteem in adolescent girls. Journal of Health Psychology, 11: 533-551., DOI: 10.1177/135910530606501
  37. Stefanile C., Matera C., Pisani E. e Zambrini, I. (2009). Insoddisfazione corporea in adolescenza: influenze di fattori biopsico-sociali, Psicologia della Salute, 2: 51-65., DOI: 10.3280/PDS2009-00200
  38. Stefanile C., Nerini A. and Matera C. (2014). The factor structure and psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale. Body Image, 11: 370-379.
  39. Stefanile C., Matera C., Nerini A. e Pasciucco L. (2015). Predittori dell’interesse per la chirurgia estetica: Influenze socioculturali e insoddisfazione corporea. Psicologia della Salute, 1: 108-130., DOI: 10.3280/PDS2015-00101
  40. Swami V. (2009). Body appreciation, media influence, and weight status predict consideration of cosmetic surgery among female undergraduates. Body Image, 6: 315-317.
  41. Swami V. and Mammadova A. (2012). Associations between consideration of cosmetic surgery, perfectionism dimensions, appearance schemas, relationship satisfaction, excessive reassurance seeking, and love styles. Individual Differences Research, 10: 81-94.
  42. Villani D., Gatti E., Triberti S., Confalonieri E. and Riva G. (2016). Exploration of virtual body-representation in adolescence: the role of age and sex in avatar customization. SpringerPlus, 5: 1-13. DOI 10.1186/s40064-016-2520-y
  43. Zuckerman D. and Abraham A. (2008). Teenagers and cosmetic surgery: Focus on breast augmentation and liposuction. Journal of Adolescent Health, 43: 318-324.

Elena Gatti, Maria Giulia Olivari, Marta Santini, Emanuela Confalonieri, Body satisfaction and attitude towards cosmetic surgery. A study about gender differences in a sample of Italian adolescents in "PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE" 1/2018, pp. 116-127, DOI:10.3280/PDS2018-001007

   

FrancoAngeli is a member of Publishers International Linking Association a not for profit orgasnization wich runs the CrossRef service, enabing links to and from online scholarly content