Paper Summary:

This paper proposes a study to examine the sexual esteem of adolescents as a potentially positive feature of their sexual development. Sexual esteem is an individual's sense of confidence in their sexuality and ability to be a good and satisfying sexual partner. The paper places sexual esteem within the context of adolescent relationships and in juxtaposition with the rampant body image issues experienced by adolescents to determine whether or not body image plays a role in adolescents' sexual esteem. The study also examines individuals who are in relationships to determine whether or not dyadic adjustment plays a moderating role between body image and sexual esteem.

Outline:
Current Study
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From the Paper:

"Western adolescents are growing up in a culture that places a great deal of emphasis on beauty. The media prescribes ideal body image standards which are often unrealistic and not at all representative of a healthy lifestyle. Thoughts of body self-consciousness are not uncommon in Western society where individuals, especially adolescents, are constantly bombarded with images of athletic appeal and sexual beauty. Adolescents are especially prone to body self-consciousness, as the media directly targets adolescent audiences and creates a culture of peer pressure in which adolescents feel they must adhere to the values of thinness and beauty (Farguhar & Wasyllkiw, 2007). Research has shown that adolescents, particularly young girls, are greatly influences by media portrayals of thinness (Bell, Lawton & Dittmar, 2007). For example, Bell and colleagues (2007) found that young girls who watched music videos that sexually depicted thin models had higher scores on body dissatisfaction than did those who only listened to the songs and did not see the corresponding images of thinness and 'ideal beauty.' "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bell, B. T., Lawton, R., & Dittmar, H. (2007). The impact of thin models in music videos on adolescent girls' body dissatisfaction. Body Image, 4(2), 137-145.
• Cash, T. F., Fleming, E. C., Alindogan, J., Steadman, L. & Whitehead, A. (2002). Beyond body image as a trait: The development and validation of the body image states scale. Eating Disorders, 10, 103-113.
• Denehy, J. (2007). Education about sexuality: Are we preparing our youth for today's realities? The Journal of School Nursing, 23(5), 245-246.
• Farquhar, J. C., & Wasylkiw, L. (2007). Media images of men: Trends and consequences of body conceptualization. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 8(3), 145-160.
• Jones, L. R., Fries, E., & Danish, S. J. (2007). Gender and ethnic differences in body image and opposite sex figure preferences of rural adolescents. Body Image, 4(1), 103-108.

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