The impact of teen magazines on adolescent girls in North Cyprus

Abstract

To understand the impact of teen magazines on adolescent girls from their perspective, we undertook a study in North Cyprus with 82 adolescent girls aged 12–17 years who were readers of several Turkish teen magazines. We conducted focus group interviews to determine the impact of the teen magazines on these Turkish Cypriot adolescent girls' perception of ideal beauty, consumption behavior, and body satisfaction, and to establish why they read the magazines. A narrative analysis showed that participants valued the teen magazines as a source of information and advice. They were influenced by the Western image of ideal beauty promoted by the magazines, were motivated to purchase and use fashion and beauty products advertised in them, and showed signs of body dissatisfaction. However, there was some evidence of valuing difference in defining beauty. Practical and theoretical implications of our findings are discussed.