Disney princesses can boost kids’ self-image, UC Davis research shows

Parents for years have been concerned that the cartoon curves and thin waists of Disney princesses would impose unrealistic body ideals onto kids who idolize Ariel, Sleeping Beauty and Jasmine.

But new research from UC Davis suggests that it might be time for them to make like Elsa, and “Let it Go.”

As it turns out, kids with a favorite princess had more confidence in their bodies and were more likely to be creative in how they played, according to the study.

The paper, titled “Ariel, Aurora, or Anna? Disney Princess Body Size as a Predictor of Body Esteem and Gendered Play in Early Childhood,” was published online by the American Psychological Association journal Psychology of Popular Media in August.

Researchers sorted the Disney princess into categories depending on their body size: thin, average and above average/heavy. Moana was considered average, while Jasmine and Ariel were deemed thin.

The study surveyed 340 children once when they were 3 years old, and again a year later, by collecting information from their caregivers about how their kids expressed feeling about their bodies, and conducting an assessment on whether they tended toward stereotypically masculine or feminine toys.

For the purpose of the study, masculine play meant using toys like cars or play guns, while feminine play meant using toys like dolls.

The study found that girls whose favorite princess had an average body size became more engaged in masculine-type play a year later — possibly because these princesses are often more physically active in their stories, researchers said, giving the kids an example of running, climbing and fighting to emulate — but there were no associations between princesses’ body size and developmental changes in play for boys.

However, both boys and girls whose favorite princess had an average body had higher body esteem a year later. The extent to which this was true was correlated with how often the children pretended to be princesses when they played — the more these kids pretended to be princesses, the better they felt about themselves.

They were also more open to exploring play that was both stereotypically masculine and feminine, according to a UC Davis news release about the study.

Children whose favorite princess was coded as thin did not show a relationship between playing pretend princess and body esteem, or method of play, according to the study.

The most popular princess among both boys and girls in the study, according to the UC Davis release, was Elsa from Frozen, followed by Moana and Anna.