Abstract
There have been many foreign studies verifying a robust link between body image and a person's subjective well-being. However, unlike their foreign counterparts, Russian researchers have been limiting themselves to covering general questions pertaining to a relation between a person’s well-being and their body image. Thus, the coverage for the body image as a structural component of subjective well-being has been insufficient. The present study appears relevant given the need for a deeper understanding of mechanisms that maintain mental health in adolescent girls and the need for a deeper understanding of factors contributing to the formation of their subjective well-being. In the context of this paper we view the body image as a key component of a person’s well-being. The present study surveyed female students of the Philological Faculty of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN). The sample included 100 (N=100) participants aged from 18 to 22 years, with the average age being 22. We analyzed and compiled the theoretical studies on the subject of subjective well-being (SWB) and body image as well as their correlation, by both foreign and Russian researchers. We also compiled some empirical data on the subject of body image as a component of a person’s well-being. Statistical methods such as the Spearman’s rank-order correlation analysis and factor analysis were employed. The data suggested that the subjective perception of one’s body image had a great influence on various structural components of one’s personality.
Highlights
In the last three decades the body of research on subjective well-being has shown significant advancement. This is partly due to the fact that contemporary researchers go beyond the early cross-sectional studies of various external correlates of this phenomenon such as employment, gender, and culture and focus on the study of a wide range of internal determinants of subjective well-being, such as adaptation, extraversion, various personality traits, positive emotions [29], coping strategies, etc. [24, 25, 28]
The hypothesis we posed in the preliminary stages of the study stated that a positive body image—being an integral part of the subjective well-being (SWB)—had a negative correlation with such personal traits as despondency, guilt, and frustration
We postulated that scales characterizing such positive manifestations as selfunderstanding, self-respect, self-consistency, among others had a positive correlation with body image
Summary
In the last three decades the body of research on subjective well-being has shown significant advancement. This is partly due to the fact that contemporary researchers go beyond the early cross-sectional studies of various external correlates of this phenomenon such as employment, gender, and culture and focus on the study of a wide range of internal determinants of subjective well-being, such as adaptation, extraversion, various personality traits, positive emotions [29], coping strategies, etc. Modern society and culture propagate the idea that attractiveness is a requirement for success in life This leads to increased demands being placed on women’s appearance which leads to physical attractiveness becoming a major factor in one’s perception of happiness.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
