Korean Adolescents' Clothing Behavior as Related to Self-Consciousness and Weight Control Practices

청소년기의 자의식 및 체중조절행동자 의복행동과의 관련연구

The purpose of this study were 1) to identify the effects of age and sex of Korean adolescents on the psychological variables(body attitudes, public/private self-consciousness, self-esteem), weight control practices, and clothing behaviors, and 2) to identify the relation- ships between psychological variables and weight control practices, and the effects of the variables on clothing behaviors in the adolescent' groups classified by sex and age. The results of this study were as follows: 1) Two factors of body attitudes were identified: Body-shape consciousness and Physical attractiveness. Four factors of clothing attitudes were identified: Clothing interest/dressing for others, Clothing exhibition, Dressing for self, and Psychological clothing-dependerlce. 2) There were significant effects of sex on all of the research variables. Age was found to have effects on Physical attractiveness, self-esteem, public/private self-consciousness, Clothing exhibition, and Psychological clothing- dependence. 3) In the relationships between psychological variables and weight control practices, Body-shape consciousness was negatively correlated with Physical attractiveness in all groups. Also, Body-shape consciousness had effects on weight control practice in all subject groups. 4) Public self-consciousness had direct/indirect effects on the Clothing interest/dressing for others in all subject groups. Private self-consciousness had direct/ indirect effects on dressing for self in high school boys and girls. Body-shape consciousness had indirect effects on Preference for up-to date style in male college students group, whereas weight control practices had effects on the Preference for up-to date style in female college students group. Self-esteem was found to have the effects on clothing behavior in college students groups. Among clothing attitude factors, Clothing exhibition had distinct effects on the Preference for up-to date style in all subject groups, and Clothing interest/dressing for others had effects on Clothing exhibition and Psychological clothing-dependence in high school boys and girs.