Credit: DisneyWatching certain Disney movies can be beneficial for young children, according to a recent study.
Ever since the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Disney Princesses have been a staple at Walt Disney Animation. Over 60 films later, the world has met 12 more official additions to the Disney Princess lineup – including big names such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Moana, and Merida.
Considering it’s been nearly 90 years since Snow White, today’s princesses look a little different than those of the early 20th century. Disney’s Princess lineup has become more inclusive over the years, as well as incorporating more independent, strong-willed personalities.
However, that hasn’t stopped the debate that Disney Princesses could potentially have a bad influence on children. Disney Princesses are, undeniably, all conventionally attractive, which some have worried harms young girls’ self-esteem.
But according to new research from the University of California, Davis, this isn’t the case. In fact, having a favorite Disney Princess was found to improve – not harm – young children’s confidence in their bodies, as well as positively influencing the ways in which they play.
The paper – “Ariel, Aurora, or Anna? Disney Princess Body Size as a Predictor of Body Esteem and Gendered Play in Early Childhood” – categorized the Disney Princesses into three different body categories: “thin,” “average,” and “above average/heavy.” As an example, the study classed Moana as having an “average body size,” while Jasmine was defined as “thin.”
The study defined a child’s favorite princess and estimated their self-esteem through conversations with their parents about how they felt about their bodies. It found that those whose favorite princesses were defined as having an average body had higher self-esteem a year into the study and also tended to engage in different types of stereotypical gendered play.
If a child’s favorite princess had an average and not a thin body, the study found that they felt better about their bodies the more they pretended to be a princess. Jane Shawcroft, lead author of the study, explained that this may be because these princesses have stories that are “more about what they can do with their bodies than how their bodies look.”
If a child’s favorite princess had a thin body, it wasn’t harmful to their self-esteem. However, it didn’t have the same “protective effect” as if they had an average body.
“People tend to be critical or dismissive of what kids, especially girls, like,” said Shawcroft. “Disney princesses really matter to young children, and we should also recognize that media centered on women and that tell women’s stories are important.”
Do you think that Disney Princesses are good for young children? Let us know in the comments!