Teens’ Self-Image Shaped by Friends, Family, TV

Some 8 in 10 teenagers (81 percent) say they are at least somewhat happy - 36 percent say very happy - and they list girlfriends/boyfriends, religion, friends and parents as positive influences, according to a recent OTX Research and Intelligence Group study, writes MarketingCharts.

Relationships with friends ranked highest in the areas in which teens feel happy (85 percent put this category in the top two positions), followed by personal talents or abilities (80 percent) - see table.

Moreover, teens tend to be happier with how they look online (e.g., their MySpace profile) than their actual looks - 78 percent vs. 68 percent.

Below, additional findings from the study.

Physical Appearance

Physical appearance is a significant aspect of teenagers’ lives:

• Some 61 percent of teens said they worry about their looks.
• 48 percent said they compare the way they look with how friends and peers look.
• Half of teens surveyed agreed that looks/physical appearance is very important in “being respected by others,” and 60 percent said it was very imortant to “the way you feel about yourself.”
• Looks ranked lower in importance for other areas:
  • “Being liked by others” (33 percent)
  • “Getting ahead in the workplace” (30 percent)
  • “Making lots of money” (27 percent)

To improve physical appearance and feel better, teens are spending an average of $27 per month on personal hygiene/beauty products.

The most popular products are deodorant or antiperspirant (used by 84 percent of respondents on a daily basis), whitening toothpastes (55 percent), and lip balm/moisturizer (54 percent) - see table.

Positive Influences

Teens were asked which influences made them feel better about themselves:

• A little over half (51 percent) of teens cited TV shows as a positive influence, but people (girlfriend/boyfriend, parents, and teachers) were even greater influences.
• Low-ranking positive influences were magazines (38 percent) and advertising on TV or elsewhere (33 percent).

View table of top-listed positive influences.

‘Would You Rather…’

Given a set of two related yet conflicting statements, teens’ choices were heavily weighted toward what might be considered “responsible” choices:

• “Get a college degree” (90 percent) vs. “win American Idol” (10 percent)
• “Exercise to lose weight” (91 percent) vs. “Take diet pills to lose weight” (9 percent)
• “Have a lot of friends” (76 percent) vs. “have a lot of money” (24 percent)
• “Feel good” (69 percent) vs. “look good” (31 percent)

About the study: The OTX Teen Topix study was conducted in conjunction with the Intelligence Group; they surveyed 750 teens (age 13-17) on the topic of self-image.