Body Image Perceptions and Clothing Behavior Issues For
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BODY IMAGE PERCEPTIONS AND CLOTHING BEHAVIOR ISSUES FOR ADOLESCENT DAUGHTERS AND THEIR MOTHERS Except where reference is made to the work of others, the work described in this dissertation is my own or was done in collaboration with my advisory committee. This dissertation does not include proprietary or classified information. _____________________________ Seunghee Lee Certificate of Approval: Pamela V. Ulrich, Co-Chair Lenda Jo Connell, Co-Chair Associate Professor Professor Consumer Affairs Consumer Affairs David Pascoe Yehia El-Mogahzy Professor Professor Health and Human Performance Polymer and Fiber Engineering ______________________________ Stephen L. McFarland Acting Dean Graduate School BODY IMAGE PERCEPTIONS AND CLOTHING BEHAVIOR ISSUES FOR ADOLESCENT DAUGHTERS AND THEIR MOTHERS Seunghee Lee A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Auburn University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Auburn, Alabama August 7, 2006 BODY IMAGE PERCEPTIONS AND CLOTHING BEHAVIOR ISSUES FOR ADOLESCENT DAUGHTERS AND THEIR MOTHERS Seunghee Lee Permission is granted to Auburn University to make copies of this dissertation at its discretion, upon request of individuals or institutions and their expense. The author reserves all publication rights. ___________________________ Signature of Author ___________________________ Date of Graduation iii VITA Seunghee Lee, daughter of Haksoo, Lee and Keumhee (Jang) Lee, was born in South Korea. She graduated from Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul, Korea with a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Economics & Commerce. She then worked for five years as an assistant director in the marketing and finance department for a company in Seoul, Korea. She entered the Graduate School of Auburn University in September, 2000. She married Dr. Yoonkook Park, son of Juyeon Park and Chung Ja Park. She has two daughters, Sarah and Michelle. iv DISSERTATION ABSTRACT BODY IMAGE PERCEPTIONS AND CLOTHING BEHAVIOR ISSUES FOR ADOLESCENT DAUGHTERS AND THEIR MOTHERS Seunghee Lee Doctor of Philosophy, August 7, 2006 (M.S., Auburn University, 2002) (B.S., Sookmyung Women’s University, 1991) 207 Typed Pages Directed by Pamela V. Ulrich and Lenda Jo Connell The purpose of this study was to explore tween girls (ages 9-14) and their mothers in relation to clothing behavior issues, body image, and body satisfaction. The purposive sample consisted of 41 mother-daughter pairs recruited by an independent contractor, ([TC]² (Textile/Clothing Technology Corporation), in Raleigh, NC, where four research sessions were held. Subjects were divided into younger (9-11) and older (12-14) normal- and plus-size groups based on BMI percentiles for girls published by the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Girls with BMI scores below the 85th percentile were classified normal-size; scores at and above that were considered plus-size. Mean BMIs were: 17.68 for normal-size younger, 19.09 for normal-size older, 27.40 for plus-size younger, and 29.44 for plus-size older. In each research session, mothers and daughters separately completed related questionnaires. v Research questions inquired into differences between mothers’ and daughters’ body image perceptions of themselves and each other, their ideal body images, and their dissatisfaction with their bodies. A set of nine female drawings (thin to large) was the stimulus (Stunkard, Sorenson, & Schulsinger, 1983). Several significant differences emerged. Plus-size girls saw themselves as smaller than their mothers saw them. Normal- size girls saw their mothers as larger than their mothers saw themselves. Girls’ ideal size for adult women was smaller than their mothers’ ideal. Mothers were more dissatisfied with their bodies than the girls were with theirs. Mothers and daughters had similar ideals for girls’ body size. Mothers accurately perceived their daughters’ wanting to be thinner. Questions also probed decision-making on what to buy and wear. Compared to fathers, sisters, friends, or deciding on their own, mothers had the most influence on what to buy. Decisions on what to wear were made more on their own; mothers were influential but less so than in deciding what to buy; friends were less important than mothers. There were significant differences between mothers and daughters in rating the importance of seven decision factors concerning what to wear. Girls reported that clothes that fit well and clothes that were comfortable were significantly more important than their mothers rated them. Mothers rated clothes that are the newest fashion and that friends would be wearing as being significantly more important than their daughters reported. There was a significant negative correlation between girls’ body dissatisfaction and their interest in clothes that were comfortable. The significant body dissatisfaction of plus-size girls was related to the greatest level of clothing deprivation (compared to normal-size girls) within all three categories examined: clothes for school, dress-up clothes, and clothes to wear when doing things with friends. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Sincere gratitude is expressed to Dr. Pamela V. Ulrich and Dr. Lenda Jo Connell, co-chairs for this dissertation, for their constant guidance, support, understanding and encouragement throughout the completion of this research project. Appreciation is also expressed to the committee members and the outside reader, Dr. David Pascoe, Dr. Yehia El-Mogahzy, and Dr. Robin Fellers, for their valuable ideas and support. Heartfelt thanks also go to NTC (National Textile Center) for their research grant to support the research. The author would also like to express her appreciation to the Head of the Department, Dr. Carol Warfield, for her encouragement and support throughout this project. Finally, the author would like to thank her family, especially Dr. Yoonkook Park, her husband, for his constant understanding, encouragement, support, and patience during this endeavor, and her daughters, Sarah and Michelle, who provided badly needed love and support. The author could also never forget the contributions of her parents, Haksoo Lee and Keumhee (Jang) Lee, who provided love, support, and endless encouragement. They taught her never to give up. vii Style manual or journal used: Publication Manual of the American Psychological_______ Association (5th ed.)_______________________________________________________ Computer software used: Microsoft Word®,SPSS®/ Windows 13.0_________________ viii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ………………………………………………………………………xii LIST OF FIGURES………………………….…………………………………………xvii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ….…………………………………………………….. 1 Statement of the Problem..………………….……………………………………………..7 Research Questions…………………………………………………………………….….7 Definition of Terms ……………………………………………………………….9 CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE …………………..……….…………10 Clothing Deprivation or Clothing Satisfaction ….……………………………....10 Family and Peer Influence on Clothing Attitudes..……………………….....…..13 The Mother–Daughter Relationship ………………………………………….....20 Body Image and Body Satisfaction in Adolescents …………………………….25 Media Influence on the Adolescent ……………………………………………..33 Attractiveness ………………………………………………………….………..36 CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY …………………………………………………….39 Sample Recruitment …………………………………………………………….39 Research Sessions ………………………………………………………………40 Research Questionnaires ………………………………………………………..41 Analysis of Data ………………………………………………………………...46 ix Summary…..……………………………………………………………………..54 CHAPTER IV. DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS ………………………….55 Sample Description ……………………………………………………………...55 Reliability and Validity of Analysis …………………………………………….71 Analysis of Research Questions ………………………………………………...73 Research Question 1……………………………………………………..73 Research Question 2……………………………………………………..74 Research Question 3……………………………………………………..75 Research Question 4……………………………………………………..76 Research Question 5……………………………………………………..77 Research Question 6……………………………………………………..78 Research Question 7……………………………………………………..79 Research Question 8……………………………………………………..83 Research Question 9……………………………………………………..90 Research Question 10……………………………………………………97 Research Question 11………………………………….…………..…...100 Research Question 12………………………………….……………….114 Research Question 13…………………………………………………..115 Research Question 14…………………………………………………..120 CHAPTER V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ………………………………………….............………….126 Demographic Profile ……... …………………………………………………..127 Summary ………………………………………………………………………128 x Research Question 1 …………………………………………………..129 Research Question 2 ………………………………………………… .129 Research Question 3 …………………………………………………..130 Research Question 4 …………………………………………………..130 Research Question 5 …………………………………………………..131 Research Question 6 …………………………………………………..131 Research Question 7 …………………………………………………..132 Research Question 8…………………………………………………...133 Research Question 9 …………………………………………………. 133 Research Question 10………………………………………………… 137 Research Question 11 ………………………………………………... 138 Research Question 12 …………………………………………………139 Research Question 13……………………………………………….…140 Research Question 14………………………………………………….141 Discussion....……..…………………….………………………………………143 Conclusions …….…………………………………………………………….. 152 Limitations………..……………………………………………………………154 Implications and Recommendations ...……………………………….….…….154 REFERENCES………………………………...………………………………………157 APPENDICES………………………………………………………………..………..172 Appendix A. Mothers’ Questionnaire………………………………………….173 Appendix B. Daughters’ Questionnaire