The Relationship between Body Cathexis and Clothing Behavior of Korean Middle-aged Women

중년기 여성들의 신체적 만족도와 의복행동과의 상관연구

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between body cathexis and five aspects of clothing behavior. Body cathexis was measured by Secord and Jourard's Body Cathexis Scale, fit in clothing was measured by Mclean's questionnaire, and three aspects of clothing were assessed with Lee, Lim, Lee, and Kahng questionnaire dealing with clothing satisfaction, status symbol, and fashion interest. Preference for fashion style was determined by line drawings of clothing designs representing current fashion and non-current fashign. The questionnaires were administered to a sample of middle-aged women (40$\~$64 year of age) in Seoul. The data for 351 respondents were analyzed by correlation and t-test. The results were : 1) Body cathexis was positvely related to clothing satisfaction for early middle-aged women as well as advanced middle-aged women. 2) Body cathexis was positively related to fit in clothing for early middle-aged women as well as advanced middle-aged women. 3) Fashion interest was positively related to preference for fashion style in early middle-aged women, 4) Scores of early middle-aged women on body cathexis, fit in clothing and preference for fashion style were significantly higher than those of advanced middle-aged women, that is, early middle-aged women had a higher self-satisfaction with body cathexis and fit in clothing. They also preferred modern fashions in contrast to be advanced middle-aged sample.