Body image conversations between adolescent girls and their mothers: Exploring the tensions of body dissatisfaction

Abstract This study aims to explore the meanings that adolescent girls attach to their experiences of body dissatisfaction and to examine their subjective perspectives on their interactions with their mothers regarding body image with interpretive depth. To this end, the study adopts a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Participants consist of 10 middle school girls aged 12–14 who sought help at specialized clinics specializing in psychology, child development, or nutrition and dietetics due to concerns related to body dissatisfaction. Data were collected through personal information forms and semi-structured interviews, and the analysis process was conducted according to interpretive thematic analysis principles. The findings revealed that mothers' interventions regarding body image occurred during shared activities such as mealtimes, shopping, and social events, and that these interventions created tensions between adolescents' need for autonomy and parental control. Additionally, it was observed that mothers' comments about their own bodies and others' bodies had indirect effects on adolescents. The data were evaluated within the framework of mirror theory, objectification theory, and sociocultural theory, demonstrating that body image communication is transmitted through both direct and implicit means. The study emphasizes the decisive role of family communication and empathetic parental involvement in adolescents' processes of coping with body dissatisfaction, highlighting the importance of mothers and other family members adopting approaches that support body positivity for psychological well-being.