Abstract
Adolescence is characterized by substantial physiological, psychological, and social changes during which personal and social identity are formed. An important aspect of this process is the relationship between body image perception and adolescents' self-esteem. The aim of the study was to identify the relationship between self-esteem and body image in adolescents aged 11-16 and to examine the influence of sociodemographic factors (gender, age, family status) on these indicators. The research expands the theoretical base of developmental psychology by providing empirical data on mechanisms of self-perception formation in adolescence within the frameworks of Erikson's identity theory and Festinger's social comparison theory. New data were obtained on the association between body image and self-esteem in a Kazakhstani adolescent population. A quantitative study was conducted with 115 adolescents (M=13.47, SD=1.58; 51.3% female). Measures used: Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (α=0.88) and the Skugarevsky & Sivukha Body Image Questionnaire (α=0.92). Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, Student's t-test, and ANOVA. Results showed a strong, statistically significant negative correlation between body image and self-esteem (r=−0.715, p<0.001). Body image accounted for 51.1% of the variance in self-esteem (R²=0.511, F=117.32, p<0.001). The effects of gender, age, and family status were not statistically significant (p>0.05), although there was a trend toward more critical body perception among girls and older adolescents. Negative body perception is a key predictor of low self-esteem in adolescents. Development of psychological support programs is needed to promote positive body image via cognitive-behavioral therapy, self-acceptance trainings, parental work, and media-literacy development. Keywords: self-esteem, body image, adolescents, family factors, gender, age, social factors, psycho-emotional state, psychological support.