Italian Journal of Health Education, Sports and Inclusive Didactics
“THE DUALISM BETWEEN REAL AND VIRTUAL BODY AMONG CHILDREN- A QUALITATIVE STUDY”
Abstract
Generation Z uses social network for the enhancement of sentiment factors, social interactions, and to develop their social identity. Social network use among pre-teens is affecting body satisfaction and leading to the development of the dualism between real and virtual identities. However, with the growing up of the digital natives, social network is widespread also among 6-10-years-old children. The present qualitative study aimed to investigate how 9-10-years-old children use social network and how the beauty-ideals models proposed on social media are affecting their body image. Focus-groups involving 134 scholars dealing with social media engagement, sharing pictures, use of filters) were conducted. It emerged that children are prolific users with many of them not liking to share their pictures for their physical aspect. Nevertheless, some respondents declared that they are active users and would like to be “influencers”. it would be beneficial for children’s development to adopt specific strategies contributing to establishing the groundwork for a healthy growing process and preventing them to be negatively influenced. For instance, a comprehensive program might be proposed with the collaboration of schools, educators, and parents focusing on the strengthening of specific pillars such as the self-consciousness, or the creation of the identity.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.32043/gsd.v7i2.844
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Italian Journal of Health Education, Sports and Inclusive Didactics
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