ERIC Number: EJ1235018
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Nov
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0165-0254
EISSN: N/A
Self-Sexualization in Preadolescent Girls: Associations with Self-Objectification, Weight Concerns, and Parent's Academic Expectations
Starr, Christine R.; Zurbriggen, Eileen L.
International Journal of Behavioral Development, v43 n6 p515-522 Nov 2019
We investigated the relationship of self-sexualization to self-objectification, weight concerns, self-efficacy, academic outcomes, and career aspirations among preadolescent girls. Participants were 89 six- to nine-year-old girls; parental reports were also obtained. Two thirds of girls showed signs of self-sexualization by choosing a sexualized doll over a nonsexualized doll as who they preferred to look like and/or who they currently look like. Girls who self-sexualized reported higher self-objectification and weight concerns than girls who did not self-sexualize. Self-sexualization was unrelated to social, emotional, and academic self-efficacy and to girls' career confidence and interest. However, parents of girls who self-sexualized reported their daughters had lower academic performance and enjoyed school less compared to girls who did not self-sexualize. Additionally, parents of girls who self-sexualized had lower academic expectations for their daughters. It is possible that in preadolescence self-sexualization affects girls' body cognitions and parental expectations without (yet) affecting self-efficacy or academic goals.
Descriptors: Females, Sexuality, Body Weight, Parent Aspiration, Self Concept, Self Efficacy, Academic Achievement, Outcomes of Education, Occupational Aspiration, Parent Attitudes, Toys, Elementary School Students, Physical Characteristics, Self Esteem, Correlation, Daughters, Human Body, Goal Orientation, Incidence, Sex Stereotypes, Interpersonal Attraction, Preadolescents, Preferences, Schemata (Cognition)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: California
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A