Script+and+Reflection

As you have seen, if you have already browsed the page, this pathfinder addresses the issue of adolescent girls and body image problems, if you have not yet browsed it, welcome! I sought to find the root cause of these problems, and trace them to one of their possible results- eating disorders. I found, throughout my research, adolescent girls face unattainable ideals set forth by advertisers, toy makers, and celebrity culture, which can lead to issues with body image. So, from my research, I found that various branches of the media had responsibility in the body image issues of teenage girls. If you are someone looking to research this topic, please rest assured, there is absolutely no shortage of information. However, the topic of adolescent girls and body image is a very broad one, so you will need to be careful to narrow it down enough, such as in my finalized example thesis on the “Thesis and Essential Questions” page. In addition, while there is a great deal of research, you will still definitely need to find the best possible resources. I have collected some very useful resources and annotated them throughout the pathfinder; however, I would like to share a few that I found essential to my research with you now. Perhaps one of the best resources I found was also one of the first I found. The book, // Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls // by Mary Pipher, Ph.D, a major expert on the topic, was a very important part of my research. It not only outlines the issues of body image and the media, but also several other topics regarding the effect of this culture on the mental health of adolescent girls- coping with divorce, depression, drug usage, and several other related topics. This is definitely a great starting point for anyone looking into the effects of our culture on adolescent girls; one can find it on the “Books, ebooks, reference”page of this wiki. If one chooses to go down the path of media and its impact on adolescent girls’ body image, they will once again have to meet the challenge of finding the best resources out of a never-ending multitude. If you are looking for a research study that directly links media ideals with body image issues and how this leads to eating disorders, look on the “Scholarly articles” page of this wiki. There, you will find the study “Thin Ideal Internalization: Mounting Evidence for a New Risk Factor for Body Image Disturbance and Eating Pathology” conducted by J. Kevin Thompson and Eric Stice. This study looks at the ideal of thinness set forth by the Western media and how the internalization of this ideal can lead to body image issues and eating disorders. For clarification of the “Thin Ideal Internalization” please see the “Vocabulary, Search Terms” page. If following these first two paths, you begin to wonder “what’s being done about the damage caused by the media?” explore the “Major Websites and Portals” and the “Media” pages of the wiki. On the “Media” page, you will find a link to an interview with Dr. Robyn Smith, an expert on body image. She sets forth advice on how parents can help their daughters develop a healthy body image by modifying their own behaviors towards food and talking about perceived body flaws. In addition, the resources found on the “Major Websites and Portals”- the National Eating Disorders Association and Family Services North Shore both offer ways to help someone with body image issues and/ or eating disorders- resources available include those for family and friends, and educators or coaches. The other sources found on the site offer more information on eating disorders and media pressures. Feel free to browse the resources on all pages, not just the ones mentioned here. I hope this pathfinder serves as a helpful springboard for more research into your topic.