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RELATIONSHIP AMONG WEIGHT STATUS, AGE, GENDER, AND CHILDREN'S PEER ACCEPTANCE

LEHMKUHL, HEATHER, M.A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1140202160

Abstract Details

2006, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences : Psychology.
Children may be less accepting of significantly overweight peers as compared to average weight peers. More information is needed about children’s attitudes toward overweight peers. This study examined children’s acceptance of models presented as slightly overweight or average weight. This study also examined whether perceiver characteristics, including gender and age, were related to children’s acceptance ratings and whether gender moderated the association between age and acceptance ratings. Exploratory analyses examined children’s perceptions of negative traits (e.g., being bad) for the overweight and average weight models. Six hundred and twelve children, (aged 3- to 13-years) participated, and were randomly assigned to view a videotape of a same sex model dressed to appear overweight or at an average weight. Then, children completed the Child Interview, which consisted of questions assessing children’s acceptance of and perceptions of negative traits for the models. Elementary school-age children participated in small groups and preschool-age children participated in individual interviews. Children rated the believability of the overweight models’ costumes. Results indicated that children did not report lower acceptance ratings for the overweight models. Older children provided lower acceptance ratings for the models, irrespective of weight status, than younger children. Gender did not moderate the relationship between age and children’s acceptance ratings. Boys reported lower acceptance ratings for the models than girls; but, they provided higher acceptance ratings for the overweight model than for the average weight model. Results of exploratory analyses suggested that adolescents and preschool-age children provided higher negative ratings irrespective of weight status than children in elementary school. Weight status did not predict children’s perceptions of negative traits. Boys, compared to girls, reported that the models would fight more often. Overall, results indicated that children in this study did not report poor acceptance of overweight children. This is encouraging because significantly overweight children may be teased because of their weight status and experience emotional distress. Thus, interventions may only be needed for children who are significantly overweight or obese rather than slightly overweight. In the future, researchers should continue to examine children’s perceptions of peers who are slightly and moderately overweight, obese, and average weight.
Dr. Laura Nabors (Advisor)
109 p.
overweight; peer acceptance

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • LEHMKUHL, M.A., H. (2006). RELATIONSHIP AMONG WEIGHT STATUS, AGE, GENDER, AND CHILDREN'S PEER ACCEPTANCE [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1140202160

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • LEHMKUHL, M.A., HEATHER. RELATIONSHIP AMONG WEIGHT STATUS, AGE, GENDER, AND CHILDREN'S PEER ACCEPTANCE. 2006. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1140202160.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • LEHMKUHL, M.A., HEATHER. "RELATIONSHIP AMONG WEIGHT STATUS, AGE, GENDER, AND CHILDREN'S PEER ACCEPTANCE." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1140202160

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1140202160
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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.