Preschool Children's Perceptions of Body Size Through Trait Associations and Drawings

Abstract

Limited studies have explored body size stigmatization in preschool children. The purpose of this study was to explore preschool children's perceptions of body size through the Adjective Attribution Task and the Drawing Task. Research was conduted with 23 preschool children from 36 months to 59 months old. Findings show that children associated more positive traits to the average size figure and more negative traits to the thin figure when presented with three figures of body sizes (thin, average, overweight). Children's responses revealed that they are aware of body sizes and in addition, they appear to stigmatize different body types. Future research in this area wil be important in order to help encourage the development of programs that can promote positive body image in young children. Furthermore, this study may encourage educators and practitioners working in community programs with children to use educational materials that reflect accurate depictions of body size.