Comparison of the body image of healthy and emotionally disturbed or physically ill children by KBMT-K

Author(s): Kuhn, G., Gunter, M., Neu, A.

Journal/Book: Psychother Psychosom Med Psyc. 1998; 48: P O Box 30 11 20, D-70451 Stuttgart, Germany. Georg Thieme Verlag. 483-490.

Abstract: Initially some results from empirical studies regarding body satisfaction and differentiation of body experience of children are described. Method: In our study several groups of children showing different kinds of illness at the age of eight to twelve years were subjected to the ''Korperbildmaltest fur Kinder'' (KBMT-K, Gunter) (Colour-A-Person-Dissatisfaction-Test for Children), a depression inventory and an anxiety test, Furthermore we examined the children's body knowledge. We assessed two samples of children in psychiatric and psychotherapeutic inpatient treatment. The diagnoses were disruptive behaviour (n = 32) or emotional disturbances (n = 36), Three other groups were formed of children with somatic chronic illnesses (asthmatics (n = 47), inpatient diabetics (n=34) and outpatient diabetics (n = 30)). We compared the test scores with those of healthy children. Results: Only the younger (eight to ten years old) children of both samples showed a significantly lower body satisfaction in comparison to healthy children, the young girls with a chronic somatic illness having the lowest scores. Older girls with a chronic somatic illness (aged 11 or 12 years) had a significantly poorer differentiation of their body experience than the healthy peers, a finding we had not expected in advance. Comparing the different clinical samples with the healthy sample, only the emotionally disturbed children were significantly more dissatisfied with their own body. Whereas we were able to demonstrate by statistical analyses that in addition to the illness, depression and anxiety had an impact on body image, the knowledge of the body did not influence the above-mentioned concepts. The results are discussed.

Note: Article Gunter M, Univ Tubingen, Abt Psychiat & Psychotherapie Kindes & Jugendalte, Osianderstr 14, D-72076 Tubingen, GERMANY

Keyword(s): body dissatisfaction; body perception; body image drawing test; children; chronic illness; emotionally disturbed children; ADOLESCENTS

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