Relationships between self-esteem, gender role identity, and body image in adolescent girls and their mothers

The present study was conducted in order to investigate the relationships between self-esteem, gender role identity, and body image in adolescent girls and their mothers. The study included two samples. The first sample consisted of menstrual girls and their mothers, while the second sample contained mother/pre-menstrual daughter pairs. Self-esteem and gender role identity were identified as predictor variables. Body image was the criterion variable. One hundred and thirteen mother/adolescent daughter pairs volunteered to participate in the study. The Body Image Subscale of the Self-Image Questionnaire for Young Adolescents (SIQYA) was utilized as a measure of body image. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was utilized as a measure of self-esteem, and the Bem Sex-Role Inventory(BSRI) was administered in order to measure gender role identity. A researcher-designed demographic questionnaire was also administered to all participants. Statistical analysis included: 1) step-wise multiple regression analysis 2) correlation matrix 3) t-tests on selected variables. Hypothesis I and II stated that for menstrual daughters and their mothers, self-esteem, as measured by the scores on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and gender role identity, as measured by the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) would not predict body image, as measured by scores on the Body Image Subscale of the Self-Image Questionnaire for Young Adolescents (SIQYA). Significant results were found (on the p ≤ .05 level), and the null hypotheses were therefore rejected. Hypothesis III stated that mothers' body image scores would not predict body image scores for their menstrual daughters. Significant results were found (on the p ≤ .05 level), and the null hypothesis was therefore rejected. Hypothesis IV and V stated that for premenstrual daughters and their mothers, respectively, scores on self-esteem and gender role identity would not predict scores on body image, as measured by the instruments indicated above. Significant results (on the p ≤ .05 level) were found for pre-menstrual daughters on gender role identity, and on self-esteem for mothers. The null hypotheses were therefore rejected in those cases. A significant correlation was not found between body image scores for premenstrual girls and their mothers. Null Hypotheis VI was therefore accepted.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofGraduat