Impact of Colorism on the Self-Esteem & Body Image of Female Young Adults
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62843/jrsr/2026.5a194Keywords:
Colorism, Self-Esteem, Body Image Disturbance, Young Women, PakistanAbstract
Colorism is a pervasive form of intra-group discrimination. It gives preference to lighter skin tones over darker ones. It has a noteworthy impact on the self-perception of women. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of colorism on self-esteem and body image among young women in Pakistan. A total of 300 female participants, aged 18 to 26, were recruited through convenience sampling. The data was collected from universities, hostels, and workplaces in both urban and rural regions across Pakistan. Participants completed the In-Group Colorism Scale (Harvey, 2014), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), and the Body Image Disturbance Questionnaire (Cash et al., 2004), all of which demonstrated excellent reliability (α = .923–.973). Simple linear regression showed that colorism significantly predicted both self-esteem (B = 0.028, R² = 0.44) and body image disturbance (B = 0.268, R² = 0.579). Results showed that colorism appeared to elevate general self-esteem and intensify dissatisfaction with physical appearance. These findings underscore the need for culturally sensitive interventions that address beauty ideals, and challenge colorist beliefs.
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