Self-perception of body by women of child-bearing age

Introduction. In psychology, the way in which we perceive our body is what is called “body image”, a concept which is associated with our social and psychical functioning. A positive image of one’s own body is connected with being attractive, having high self-esteem, high self-confidence and general satisfaction with life [1]. Therefore, contentment, or lack thereof, of one’s body comprises an emotional element of body image [2]. The feelings we have towards our body are changing all the time, as well as other behaviours and are conditioned by individual circumstances and mood. Nevertheless, our relationship with the body and its main components are a relatively stable construction [3]. Aim of the study. Recognition of the emotional component of body image of the polled women, and observation of behaviours concomitant with dissatisfaction, lead to improvement of body appearance. Methods and materials. The study was conducted in 2014, in which 200 women of child-bearing age – students of Medical University in Lublin, Poland, participated. The applied measurement tools were a questionnaire and a scale for assessing one’s body, both designed by the authors of the study. Results. The average age of respondents – 22; BMI – 21.1840. In the general “one’s body assessment” scale, the highest mean values were achieved in the subscale of “Aspirations for attaining an ideal figure”. There is a statistically significant correlation between the status of relationship, diet, and aspiration for an ideal figure. Conclusions. Most of the surveyed women were satisfied with their appearance and had a high self-esteem. No statistically significant relations were observed between BMI and the subscales of “General body assessment.” The “Cult of Thin” created by the mass media did not influence the subjective perception of one’s body