Body Image
Volume 15, 2015, Pages 120-131

Body image and appearance perceptions from immigrant adolescents in Canada: An interpretive description (Article)

Kimber M.* , Georgiades K. , Jack S.M. , Couturier J. , Wahoush O.
  • a McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
  • b McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
  • c McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
  • d McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
  • e McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

Abstract

Body dissatisfaction has been linked to a number of poor health outcomes, including eating disorders. However, very few studies have investigated body dissatisfaction among immigrant adolescents. Using inductive qualitative inquiry, this study recruited a purposeful sample of immigrant adolescents (N= 18, 78% female) with an eating disorder (n= 8) and without an eating disorder (n= 10). All adolescents were between 16 and 19 years of age (M= 16.80, SD= 0.89) and were recruited from three municipalities in Ontario. Each adolescent participated in a face-to-face, qualitative interview. Content analysis revealed descriptions of body image that were similar across the sample. The main themes emerging from this work include (a) the "moderately slim" and "moderately muscular" ideal, (b) the "slim and curvy paradox," (c) "ideal" privilege, (d) having an "expected" appearance, and (e) wishful comparisons. Findings have implications for reducing appearance-related dissatisfaction among immigrant adolescents in Canada. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

Author Keywords

qualitative interviews culture Body dissatisfaction Appearance comparison Adolescents Canada

Index Keywords

cultural anthropology Feeding and Eating Disorders human statistics and numerical data qualitative research Body Image interview Humans migrant family psychology Adolescent Interviews as Topic Canada male Emigrants and Immigrants female peer group Ontario eating disorder Body, Physical Appearance social class Mass Media mass medium physical appearance Culture
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84951271366&doi=10.1016%2fj.bodyim.2015.08.002&partnerID=40&md5=e9a4fea2c4ab03041dac3a622c2b3d8c
DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2015.08.002
ISSN: 17401445
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English