Introduction
There is a direct relationship existent between self-esteem and dissatisfaction of the body among adolescents. According to van den Berg, Mond, Eisenberg, Ackard & Neumark-Sztainer (2010), self-esteem in adolescents is not limited to gender, weight or race but mainly to age. It is understood that, the self-esteem is the sum total of a person’s constituent parts. This assertion makes it imperative to discuss the concerns of body image and its appearance among adolescents. Research indicates that teenagers or adolescents that have low self-esteem due to their appearance end up as victims of cyberbullying (Patchin & Hinduja, 2010). This paper discusses on how the theory of self-esteem by Rogers is essential in helping adolescents come to terms with their body image.
Theory Overview
Roger’s (1951) theory stated that individuals with “high self-esteem” had a better capacity to regard others in a better view in contrast with low self-esteem individuals (as cited in Dvir-Gvirsman. S. (2015). This assertion is further strengthened by the fact that people are subject to “self-organising systems” that aid them to interact and change their behaviour. Small changes have great effect on the overall behaviour of a person (Bussolari & Goodell, 2009). People who dread the transitioning process fear
Adolescents are viewed as victims of rapidly changing life/ body transitioning processes that are hard to comprehend. It is at this stage that they learn to appreciate or dislike their body image. The unpredictability of the body appearance makes some to lose their self-esteem and end-up in frustrations. It is vital for counsellors to understand the direct relationship between self-esteem and outward (body) appearance. Confidence is seen as a result of inner beauty that is not valued by the contemporary media