Citation

Whitaker C, Gough B, Fawkner H, Deighton-Smith N. J. Health Psychol. 2019; ePub(ePub): 1359105319832352.

Affiliation

Leeds Beckett University, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1359105319832352

PMID

30819027

Abstract

Associated with numerous adverse health outcomes, body dissatisfaction in young men requires close examination. This study explores online accounts relating to male body image, including young men's personal disclosures within one online newspaper article, and posts responding to this topic. Discursively informed thematic analysis indicated that non-disclosure was considered a problematic social expectation by the young men featured in the article. Also, reader posts variously constructed body dissatisfaction as a symptom of adolescence, a lack of self-care and an incapacity to capitalise on compensatory qualities. Our analysis suggests young men may welcome safe opportunities to critically discuss prevailing body image ideals.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescence; body image; masculine economy; masculinity; online accounts