Body Image and School Engagement in Early Adolescence: Longitudinal Gender Differences

Body image concerns may contribute to school disengagement during late childhood, but this has not been well investigated. This study examined longitudinal associations between different dimensions of body image (body dissatisfaction and weight perception) and school engagement (affective, behavioural, and cognitive) in a sample of 9- to 12-year-old Canadian children ( N = 1,070) over 8 months. Results indicated that children’s body dissatisfaction predicted decreases in cognitive engagement only. Also, lower levels of all types of school engagement predicted increases in body dissatisfaction and/or weight perception—suggesting bidirectional influences. Gender analyses indicated that body dissatisfaction predicted lower cognitive engagement among girls only, whereas lower behavioural engagement predicted increased body dissatisfaction among boys only. These findings suggest that body image and school engagement influence one another in gender-specific ways, highlighting the potential value of tailoring early prevention and intervention efforts in these areas to the distinct developmental needs of boys and girls.