Body Aesthetics: Contemporary Discourse and its Psychological Repercussion in Adolescent Subjects

Abstract

This paper poses  the  psychological  repercussion generated  by the  contemporary  discourse  on  body aesthetics on adolescents. A sample of five adolescent participants,  who  had  in  common  a  personal body aesthetic interest and repetitively visited plac-es where they satisfied the need for body care, was chosen. To fulfill the objectives, two sessions were conducted  with  each  participant,  in  which  a  semi-structured interview and the Machover test were ap-plied. results showed  that  contemporary  discourse mandate  on  body  aesthetics,  parents’  absence,  and the desire of identification with peers have triggered answers such as acting out and narcissism as a way to show themselves to others and have a place in the Other. in conclusion,  contemporary  way  of  living has influenced families toward an industrialization in which parents, due to their job’s demands, substitute their children’s emotional needs with money, so that they can use their time and fill in the emptiness left by their absence.