Body image and psychopathology in adolescence: a controlled clinical study

The aim of this study was to investigate mentally disturbed adolescents' problems of acknowledging and accepting the physical changes and sexual maturation of their bodies, in comparison with healthy adolescents. The study sample consisted of 60 adolescents (30 boys and 30 girls), 15-18 years of age, who had been referred for psychiatric examination, and 60 healthy controls, matched on the basis of age, sex, place of residence and level of education. The study methods were the self-rated questionnaire and psychiatric in-depth interview modified on the basis of the diagnostic profile of adolescents. Mentally disturbed adolescents had more negative attitudes towards developmental body changes than healthy adolescents. They were unable to describe the physical changes they had undergone. Healthy adolescents were more aware of developing sexual characteristics. On discriminant analysis, independent background variables explaining problems relating to sexual maturation in mentally disturbed adolescents were found to be a lack of or low number of peer relationships, and long-term stress. In the healthy adolescents, independent variables associated with problems in sexual maturation were found to be a lack of or low number of peer relationships and a single-parent home. We conclude that adolescents with psychiatric problems seem to have a poorer capacity to process mentally the ongoing bodily and sexual maturation of their bodies than matched healthy controls.