Correlates of body satisfaction and self-concept in third- and sixth-graders

The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between body satisfaction and self-concept in elementary school children. Participants were twentythree boys and twenty-eight girls from the third and sixth grades of a rural public school. Demographic information, body satisfaction scores, self-concept scores, and measures of parental attitudes were obtained from the participants through a questionnaire. It was hypothesized that body satisfaction and self-concept would be related in elementary school children. It was expected that this relationship would be impacted by grade, sex, and parental attitudes. A significant relationship existed between body satisfaction and self-concept in girls, but not boys. No grade differences were detected in the relationship. Body satisfaction was significantly correlated with body criticism from peers among sixth graders. A parent's body satisfaction appeared to be a significant predictor of the body satisfaction of his/her opposite sex child for both third — and sixth-graders.