Gender Differences in Perception of Body, Expressions of Body Image and Body Image Coping Strategies among Turkish Adolescents

The importance of body change during the adolescence has been well documented within the literature. In this study, gender differences were investigated in the use of adolescents' perceptions of all body images, body parts and functions, and strategies of coping with body image. Data were collected from 710 first-year students from different high school types with an age range of 14-15. The results indicated that body image of female adolescents showed a significant difference in negative direction compared to male adolescents. Males showed a significant positive difference compared to girl adolescents. Results also demonstrated that male adolescents showed significant positive difference in the use of the avoidance strategy compared to female adolescents. Regarding body image coping strategies, there was a significant positive difference in the use of the avoidance strategy in favor of males. The results with implications for future research and practice are addressed.