Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: Adolescent girls’ concerns about their body images can negatively affect their
social and academic performance. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of body image
concern (BIC) in adolescent schoolgirls in Iran and its risk factors.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: This epidemiological study with cross‑sectional design was conducted
in 2018 on 396 middle schoolgirls aged 12–17 years (mean age = 14 years) living in Khorramabad,
Iran. For screening BIC, the Persian version of BIC inventory (BICI) was used. Their birth order,
school grade, school type, father’s education, and household income were also recorded. Collected
data were analyzed in SPSS v. 18 software using descriptive statistics and Chi‑square test.
RESULTS: Of 396 girls, 106 (26.8%) had BIC, 89 (84%) reported moderate BIC, and 17 (16%)
severe BIC. Their mean BICI score was 40.84 ± 12.93 (out of 42). Most of them reported to spend
a significant amount of time checking their appearance in the mirror (n = 81, 20.5%) and examining
flaws in their appearance (n = 74, 18.7%). A few of them were embarrassed to leave the house
because of the appearance and avoided from looking at the appearance in the mirror (n = 6, 1.5%).
There was no significant difference in BIC severity in terms of birth order, school grade, school type,
father’s education, and household income factors (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of BIC among schoolgirls in Iran is high. Appropriate therapeutic
interventions should be carried out to improve their quality of life, mental health, and self‑esteem to
reduce the BIC prevalence.
Keywords
perceptions in adolescents: Current perspectives. Adolesc Health
Med Ther 2015;6:149‑58.
2. Asgari M, Amini K. Investigating self‑esteem and body image
concern among students of Islamic Azad University of Abhar
using demographic variables. PCNM 2017;7:25‑32.
3. El Ansari W, Dibba E, Labeeb S, Stock C. Body image concern and
its correlates among male and female undergraduate students at
Assuit University in Egypt. Glob J Health Sci 2014;6:105‑17.
4. Golmohammadian M, Morovati F, Rashidi A. To predict the
concern of body image based on mindfulness, experiential
avoidance and metacognition beliefs in high school students.
IJHEHP 2018;6:168‑78.
5. Garrusi B, Garousi S, Baneshi MR. Body image and body change:
Predictive factors in an Iranian population. Int J Prev Med
2013;4:940‑8.
6. Santana ML, Silva RC, Assis AM, Raich RM, Machado ME,
de J Pinto E, et al. Factors associated with body image
dissatisfaction among adolescents in public schools students in
Salvador, Brazil. Nutr Hosp 2013;28:747‑55.
7. Jankauskiene R, Baceviciene M. Body image concerns and body
weight overestimation do not promote healthy behaviour:
Evidence from adolescents in Lithuania. Int J Environ Res Public
Health 2019;16:864.
8. Kristjánsdóttir H, Sigurðardóttir P, Jónsdóttir S, Þorsteinsdóttir G,
Saavedra J. Body image concern and eating disorder symptoms
among elite icelandic athletes. Int J Environ Res Public Health
2019;16:2728.
9. Johnson P, Fallon EA, Harris BS, Burton B. Body satisfaction is
associated with Transtheoretical Model constructs for physical
activity behavior change. Body Image 2013;10:163‑74.
10. Mostafavirad F, Dehghan Ardekani Z. Predicting mental health
based on the personality characteristics and body image of high
school female adults students. J Women Soc 2019;10:331‑64.
11. Ghadakzadeh S, Ghazipour A, Khajeddin N, Karimian N,
Borhani M. Body image concern inventory (BICI) for identifying
patients with BDD seeking rhinoplasty: Using a Persian (Farsi)
version. Aesthetic Plast Surg 2011;35:989‑94.
12. Danesh S, Foroozandeh E. The big 5 personality and body image
in cosmetic surgery applicants in Esfahan. Shenakht J Psychol
Psychiatr 2018;5:115‑28.
13. Ghazizadeh Hashemi SA, Edalatnoor B, Edalatnoor B, Niksun O.
A comparison of body image concern in candidates for rhinoplasty
and therapeutic surgery. Electron Phys 2017;9:5363‑8.
14. Junne F, Zipfel S, Wild B, Martus P, Giel K, Resmark G, et al.
The relationship of body image with symptoms of depression
and anxiety in patients with anorexia nervosa during outpatient
psychotherapy: Results of the ANTOP study. Psychotherapy
2016;53:141‑52.
15. Crerand CE, Sarwer DB, Kazak AE, Clarke A, Rumsey N.
Body image and quality of life in adolescents with craniofacial
conditions. Cleft Palate Craniofac J 2017;54:2‑12.
16. del Mar Bibiloni M, Coll JL, Pich J, Pons A, Tur JA. Body image
satisfaction and weight concerns among a Mediterranean adult
population. BMC Public Health 2017;17:39.
17. Silva DA, Nahas MV, de Sousa TF, Del Duca GF, Peres KG.
Prevalence and associated factors with body image dissatisfaction
among adults in southern Brazil: A population‑based study. Body
Image 2011;8:427‑31.
18. Ferrari EP, Petroski EL, Silva Diego AS. Prevalence of body image
dissatisfaction and associated factors among physical education students. Trends Psychiatry Psychother 2013;35:119‑27.
19. Moghimian M, Salmani F, Azarbarzin M. Investigation of
relationship between body image satisfaction and academic field
of study of female students of Islamic Azad university branch of
Najafabad. Iran J Nurs Res 2012;7:64‑71.
20. Momeni M, Ghorbani A, Hasandoost F. Predictors of body image
dissatisfaction among students of Qazvin University of Medical
Sciences. IJPN 2016;4:28‑37.
21. Thomas J, Khan S, Abdulrahman AA. Eating attitudes and body
image concerns among female university students in the United
Arab Emirates. Appetite 2010;54:595‑8.
22. Mousa TY, Mashal RH, Al‑Domi HA, Jibril MA. Body image
dissatisfaction among adolescent schoolgirls in Jordan. Body
Image 2010;7:46‑50.
23. Presnell K, Bearman S, Stice E. Risk factors for body dissatisfaction
in adolescent boys and girls: A prospective study. Int J Eat Disord
2004;36:389‑401.
24. Brito MJ, Nahas FX, Cordás TA, Gama MG, Sucupira ER,
Ramos TD, et al. Prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder
symptoms and body weight concerns in patients seeking
abdominoplasty. Aesthet Surg J 2016;36:324‑32.
25. Garrusi B, Baneshi M. Body dissatisfaction among Iranian youth
and adults. Cad Saúde Pública 2017;33:e00024516.
26. Littleton HL, Axsom DS, Pury CL. Development of the body
image concern inventory. Behav Res Ther 2005;43:229‑41.
27. Littleton H, Breitkopf CR. The body image concern inventory:
Validation in a multiethnic sample and initial development of a
Spanish language version. Body Image 2008;5:381‑8.
28. Bassak Nejad S. The relationships between selected psychological
antecedents and body image concern among women seeking
plastic surgery. Int J Psychol 2007;1:35‑46.
29. Buhlmann U, Glaesmer H, Mewes R, Fama JM, Wilhelm S,
Brähler E, et al. Updates on the prevalence of body dysmorphic
disorder: Apopulation‑based survey. Psychiatry Res. 2010;178:171‑5.
30. Esnaashari N, Bakhshayesh A, Afshani A. The prevalence of body
dysmorphic disorder in female adolescents of Yazd. J Shahid
Sadoughi Univ Med Sci 2014;22:1237‑45.
31. Safarzade S, Tohidinik HR, Mahmoody‑Khorandi ZM. The
prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder in adolescents of
Gonabad county in 2014. J Clin Psychol 2016;1:93‑100.
32. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Washington, DC: American
Psychiatric Association; 2013. p. 242‑7.
33. Bjornsson AS, Didie ER, Grant JE, Menard W, Stalker E,
Phillips KA. Age at onset and clinical correlates in body
dysmorphic disorder. Compr Psychiatry 2013;54:893‑903.
)