The Relationship Between State Self-Objectification and Body Image in Mid-Adolescence: A Mediative Role of Self-Esteem

This paper investigates the impact of state self-objectification on body image and tests the role of self-esteem in this relationship. The study group consisted of 136 adolescents from a junior high school in Poland, aged 14 to 16 years: 65 boys (Mage = 15; SD = 0.79) and 71 girls (Mage = 14.93; SD = 0.82). Both age groups were relatively homogeneous in terms of demography and BMI. The study consisted of three phases. First, the participants completed demographic measures assessing demographic variables, body image, and self-esteem. The second phase was conducted one week later to induce a temporary state of self-objectification by means of a magnifying mirror. The third phase followed a ten-minute experimental exposure by filling in the Self-Objectification State Questionnaire. A mediation analysis was performed separately in both adolescent groups, according to the approach proposed by Hayes and Preacher (2014). Self-esteem mediated significantly the relationship between state self-objectification and body image. In the group of girls the mediation model produced a complete effect, whereas in the group of boys the mediation effect was partial.