Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between Facebook and body dissatisfaction of adolescents from single parent family. Besides, this study examines the correlation between body dissatisfaction and self-esteem among adolescents. This study is also exploring adolescents’ perceptions of the ideal characteristics of physical attractiveness, with a specific focus on gender difference comparisons. This study also aims to establish the patterns and strengths of the relationships between body dissatisfaction and perceived physical attractiveness among the adolescents from single parent family. Focus group is used to obtain information from 100 adolescents aged 13-18 from the orphanage homes of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. There are 50 males and 50 females with regards to their preferences and ideals in physical attractiveness based (WHR) ratio for females and Somatomorphic Matrix Modification for males. Body Area Satisfaction Scale (BASS) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) are used to determine level of body dissatisfaction and self-esteem among adolescents. Interview is done to find out the relationship between Facebook and body dissatisfaction. The results reveal a significant correlation between Facebook and body dissatisfaction as well as significant correlation between body dissatisfaction and self-esteem among adolescents from single parent family. Besides, this study also shows that female adolescents were higher dissatisfied with their bodies and lower self-esteem than male adolescents. Perceived physical attractiveness of adolescents is more to artificial image than born image. As a conclusion, this study could help public in understanding the physical attractiveness as perceived by adolescents from single parent family. The results of this study also show the relationship between body dissatisfaction and self-esteem which this info may help the education institution to come out programmes to educate adolescents the right body image as well as letting them knowing that body image is not the only source for increasing self esteem.

Keywords:

Facebook, body dissatisfaction, self esteem, perceived physical attractiveness.