Too Fat To Be A Princess? - The British Psychological Society

Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 30 Nov 2009 - 0:00 PST

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Even before they start school, many young girls worry that they are fat. But a new study published in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology suggests the stereotypically thin and beautiful Disney princesses may not be a cause of children's anxieties.

During the study by Professor Stacey Tantleff-Dunn and doctoral student Sharon Hayes at the University of Central Florida, 121 girls aged three to six were asked how they felt about the way they look. Half of the girls then watched parts of animated children's movies that featured young, beautiful characters and appearance-focused comments, such as Gaston telling Belle in Beauty and the Beast that she is 'the most beautiful girl in town, and that makes her the best'. The second group watched parts of animated children's movies that did not contain any appearance-related messages, such as Dora the Explorer.

The children were then asked questions about what a real princess is, and their behaviour was monitored as they played in a room that featured a fancy dress costumes, a mirror and other toys.

During the initial conversation, thirty-one percent of the girls indicated they almost always worry about their appearance, while another 18 percent said they sometimes worry about it. Thirty per cent of the girls said they would change a physical attribute, such as their weight or hair colour.

However, exposure to the Disney films and appearance-focused comments within did not affect the girls' body dissatisfaction or engagement in appearance-related play behaviours. The majority of the girls, 99, still believed they could be a princess regardless of their weight, and their age.

The UCF study concluded that young girls did not appear to be influenced by repeated exposure to the beautiful, thin princesses in animated children's movies. "While older girls and women tend to compare themselves to the models, younger children may be more likely to adopt the persona of the princesses while playing," the UCF researchers said.

However, the high number of the girls worried about being fat at such a young age concerned the researchers.

"We do need to help our children challenge the images of beauty, particularly thinness, that they see and idolize and encourage them to question how much appearance should be part of their self-worth," said Tantleff-Dunn. "We should help them build a positive self-image with an appreciation for many different types of body attributes."

The full paper can be viewed for free on the Society's Journals website.

Source
The British Psychological Society