Perceived physical appearance and life satisfaction: A moderated mediation model of self‐esteem and life experience of deaf and hearing adolescents. (23rd December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lu, Aitao; Hong, Xiuxiu; Yu, Yanping; Ling, Hong; Tian, Haiping; Yu, Zuwei; Chang, Lei
• Is Part Of: Journal of adolescence. Volume 39(2015:Feb.)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 9
• Publication Date: 2014-12-23
• Subjects: Perceived physical appearance -- Self‐esteem -- Life satisfaction -- Deaf adolescent -- Moderated mediation; Adolescent psychiatry -- Periodicals; Adolescent psychology -- Periodicals; Adolescence -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 305.23505
• DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2014.11.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0140-1971

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In this study, we investigated the relationship between perceived physical appearance and life satisfaction, and the role of self‐esteem as mediator and life experience as moderator of the relationship in deaf and hearing adolescents. 118 Chinese deaf adolescents (55.1% male; mean age = 15.12 years, standard deviation [SD] = 2.13) from 5 special education schools and 132 Chinese hearing adolescents (53.8% male; mean age = 13.11 years, SD = .85) completed anonymous questionnaires regarding perceived physical appearance, self‐esteem, and life satisfaction. Perceived physical appearance, self‐esteem, and life satisfaction were significantly and positively associated with each other. Moreover, self‐esteem partially mediated the relationship between perceived physical appearance and life satisfaction; however, this indirect link was weaker for deaf adolescents than it was for hearing adolescents. Implications of the findings and future research directions are discussed, as are potential interventions that can be applied to increase subjective well‐being in deaf adolescents. Highlights: Perceived physical appearance, self‐esteem and life satisfaction positively correlated with each other. Self‐esteem mediated the link between perceived physical appearance and life satisfaction. The indirect link was weaker for deaf adolescents than for hearing adolescents.