Nobody's perfect: A qualitative examination of African American maternal caregivers’ and their adolescent girls’ perceptions of body image

• Protective factors for body image include girls’ belief in God and body acceptance.
• Girls either challenged media images, or were influenced to change their appearance.
• Caregivers influence healthy eating/exercise, positive body image, and media literacy.
• Girls’ body image may influence health behaviors.
• Parent–adolescent communication about body image and media literacy may help girls.

Using semi-structured interviews, we explored African American maternal caregivers’ and their adolescent girls’ (N = 25 dyads) perceptions about the adolescent's body using Grounded Theory. Caregivers and adolescent girls (Mage = 13.42) were asked what the adolescent girls liked most/least about their bodies and how peers and media may affect adolescent girls’ perceptions. While some adolescent girls reported overall body satisfaction, others described features they would like to change. Belief in God, body acceptance, and appreciation for average/moderate features helped the adolescent girls maintain their positive body image. The body-related messages that adolescent girls received from caregivers and peers included compliments, pressure to lose weight, teasing, and advice. Adolescent girls also reported being either influenced by or skeptical of the images presented in the media. Programs that promote caregiver–adolescent communication about body perceptions and that build on the adolescent girls’ media skepticism may prove useful for their health-related attitudes and behaviors.