Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Reed College of Media

Department

Reed College of Media

Committee Chair

Steve Urbanski.

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of beauty pageant participation on body dissatisfaction, depression, and self-esteem among women. A group of 20 women who participated in reality show beauty pageants as adults was compared with another group of 20 women who had never participated in beauty pageants. Pageant participants scored higher on body dissatisfaction as well as self-esteem. Neither group had mean depression scores in the clinically significant range. These findings suggest that beauty pageant participation among young adult women may influence their body dissatisfaction and self-esteem but may not have a significant effect on depression.

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