Mel Dalheimer Case

Student Wellbeing: Current Approaches

Task 1- Critical Reading

The development of Body Image in children and adolescence is a complex and sensitive issue and is one which researchers have spent much time exploring and reviewing. After reading the literature provided in four articles, it is clear that there is a developing concern about the prevalence of negative body image in children and adolescence, and that the effect of this can be detrimental to all aspects of their health. Research suggests that although females tend to have a higher prevalence of poor body image, males are also affected. The two genders do however differ in their perception of what the ideal body weight or shape should be. In trying to deal with this growing concern, there is strong evidence to suggest that a holistic approach can be beneficial; where by the communities who are linked to children and adolescence (eg the school and its staff, parents and health care professionals) are involved in a multi-dimensional approach in delivering positive body image messages and skills by working collaboratively with each other and focusing on the needs of the youth.

In O'Dea and Maloney's article titled "Preventing Eating and Body Image Problems in Children and Adolescents Using the Health Promoting Schools Framework" (2000), they discuss the need for school-based programs to be implemented in order to tackle body image issues (which would encompass "unhealthful eating and body dissatisfaction issues" (O'Dea and Maloney, (2000). By implementing trials to examine the success of current approaches in different schools, they highlight that there is a concerning presences of negative body image perceptions amongst the youth and therefore a need to act on this. They also point out that some approaches have had more success educating students than others, and they suggest this success depends on the "holistic focus of the framework". Their research indicates that programs which have been thoroughly planned and implemented have involved partnerships between the school, parents and the community and these "can have a positive and lasting impact on body image, eating behaviours, attitudes, and self-esteem of adolescents". A program which takes on this approach is the "Health Promoting Schools Framework", which has shown some "significant and lasting improvements" according to O'Dea and Abrahams (1999). The Framework is based around three key areas of intervention; 1) school curriculum, teaching and learning, 2) school ethos, environment and organisation and 3) school community partnerships and services. O'Dea and Maloney believe these key areas have success due to the range of influences which are internal and external to the school environment. They recognise that collaboration, shared language and understanding and an efficient and flexible approach is important.

In Evans, Roy, Geiger, Wener and Burnett's article titled "Ecological Strategies to Promote Healthy Body Image Among Children" (2008) they discuss the prevalence of body image concerns amongst the youth, what causes this and how schools could approach the issue to help combat the problem. According to Evans et al, "current research suggests the body image dissatisfaction and weight preoccupation are becoming more prevalent among children and adolescents and that it appears to be more prevalent in girls than boys". They highlight that issues pertaining to body image in girls differ to those of boys, in that girls tend to strive for thinness, while boys idealise about being taller, bigger and having greater muscle mass. Through their research, they are able to conclude that the media, social stereotypes and parents play a large influence on child and adolescent perception of themselves and acceptance of this perception. In recognising these environmental factors, Evan et al believe that implementing an ecological model that focuses on body image will help tackle these issues, when working in conjunction with "The Coordinated School Health Program" (CSHP).

The CSHP is based primarily around a collaborated community approach, where the emphasis is on "dynamic individual, social and environmental components" (Evans et al, 2008). School staffs, parents and caregivers, health care professionals and community services all play a role in delivering a consistent message which models and values a healthy lifestyle. The ecological model works in partnership with the CSHP as it focuses on how to tackle environmental factors which play a role in children and adolescence forming ideals about their own body image. Such environmental factors include "intrapersonal, interpersonal processes and primary groups, institutional, community and public policy". Evans et al has found this approach to be most beneficial due to its broad spectrum nature, collaborative approach, and active participation by key members of the community.

Cohane and Pope, Jr researched the growing neglect of focus on boys and their body image concerns in an article titled "Body Image in Boys: A review of the Literature" (2000). By reviewing and analysing 17 studies which focused on male body image, they were able to conclude that "recent years have witnessed a striking increase in body image concerns among men" and that females are not the only gender who struggles, as was believed historically. They did find however, that although both genders suffered from negative body image, their pursuit for the ideal body weight and shape were different. The studies identified that males have a tendency to desire being 'bigger', which they perceived to be in relation to muscle mass rather than fat. This is very different to women, sho tend to want to be thin. In fact, boys who were underweight were found to be the more dissatisfied than those who were not, but that is not to say that some males did not desire to be thinner. Either way, it highlights that there is dissatisfaction present. Cohane and Pope were able to identify that in general, if boys felt confident and happy within themselves (ie had positive self-esteem), they tended to be less concerned with their body image.

After reviewing the literature, Cohane and Pope concluded that it should be an important priority for researches to focus on male body image concerns in order to support their struggles more. They were concerned that data collected from first generation studies were not accurate enough and therefore did not represent a true and accurate perception of reality, making male body image concerns to be less prevalent or concerning than they actually are. They also critiqued second generation studies and found they were not accurate enough with their descriptors

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