[Change in self-image in the population of adolescents in 15 years--comparative study].

UNLABELLED The image of the self changes over time. The changes are conditioned by the culture and the social structure that the adolescents live in. AIM The study aimed to compare self-image in the non- treated 17 y.o. population of adolescents during 15 years. METHOD In 1987 and 2001, a representative sample of school-attending adolescents was screened with OSIQ (The Offer Self-Image Questionnaire for Adolescents). RESULTS In the period surveyed, the self-image of 17-year-olds improved. In the boys' group, there is still an incoherence of the self-image, while in girls the coherence grows. CONCLUSIONS As a result ofmacrocultural factors, favourable changes take place in the area of mental health and coping that are reflected in the improvement of the self-image.