A COMPARATIVE STUDY TO ASSESS THE BODY IMAGE AND SELF-ESTEEM AMONG MALE AND FEMALE ADOLESCENTS AT SELECTED SCHOOL, PUDUCHERRY

Body image is the mental picture a person has of his or her own body. Self-esteem refers to the degree of regard or respect that individuals have for themselves and is a measure of worth that they place on their abilities and judgments. To compare the body image and self-esteem among male and female adolescents at selected school, Puducherry. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was adopted for this study. The sample size was 170, males (85) and females (85) in the age group between 14 and 17 years. Data were collected using the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) for men and women and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The findings of the study revealed that the t value showed there was a statistically significant difference in the body image of male and female adolescents. The p value showed that body image and self-esteem are positively correlated. The study findings conclude that there was a marked concern with body image among female adolescents than male adolescents, and there was a lower level of self-esteem among female adolescents than male adolescents. This study may be suggested for ongoing clinical usage for additional assessment.