Gender differences in respect to self-esteem and body image as well as response to adolescents’ school-based prevention programs
Gender differences in respect to self-esteem and body image as well as response to adolescents’ school-based prevention programs

Summary/Abstract: This review explores the impact of gender roles on adolescents’ self-esteem and body image, and the influence of prevention programs on these two factors when delivered in mixedgender vs. uni-gender groups. Self-esteem is a large part of adolescents’ self-understanding; it is dynamic and susceptible to internal and external influences during adolescence. Gender roles influence adolescents’ self-esteem. While self-confidence is a stereotypical male feature, the presentation of self-confidence by girls is considered a breach of traditional gender roles. Therefore, it is not surprising that boys report higher self-esteem than girls. Boys are more likely to be in situations that encourage competition, conflict, power, and excitement, where as girls are more likely to encounter situations of intimacy, self-disclosure, support, and co-rumination. While girls tend to develop emotions related to internalizing problems, boys tend to develop emotions related to externalizing them. A consideration of the body ideal for males (muscular and lean) and females (thin) can explain why adolescent girls report more dissatisfaction with their bodies than boys. Body dissatisfaction can have harmful emotional, psychological and physiological effects. During adolescence, girls appear to be more vulnerable than boys) to the negative psychological health effects of stress; they present significantly higher levels of adaptation, depressive symptomatology and eating disorders. Boys tend to display a higher prevalence of externalized behavioral problems, such as aggression, antisocial behavior and delinquency. Gender differences have been reported in message/concept internalization among adolescents. Moreover, there are conflicting results with respect to the impact of prevention programs on adolescents’ body image and self-esteem when delivered in mixed-gender vs. uni-gender groups. Further research is needed to explore these programs’ impact when delivered in different settings or to different populations, to enable drawing clear conclusions.

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