Managing Selves: body experiences and identity in italian male teenagers

Introduction. Identity formation reaches one of its critical junctures during adolescence, marked by the reorganisation of self-image and the integration of changes resulting from physical development. This process unfolds within social contexts and is structured by culturally specific normative frames. Male identity is shaped by rigid physical and psychological standards. These pressures can influence the way adolescent boys experience themselves and their relationship with adults and peers. This study aims to explore how young males interpret their identity and body image, focusing on subjective experience, interpersonal contexts and future-oriented representations. Methods. A semi-structured interview was specifically designed to investigate teenagers’ experience of the self and the body from a subjective perspective, within interpersonal spaces and through “the looking-glass self”; the expression of identity and representations of gender and sexuality in virtual landscapes; fears and hopes shaping young people’s fantasies about future selves. Fourteen cisgender male adolescents, aged 15 to 18 years, participated in the study. Interviews were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Results. Three main themes were identified: 1) self-representations, which describe the negotiation between authenticity and external expectations; 2) (ideal) body shapes and personal improvement, which reflect the internalisation of culturally sanctioned masculine standards; 3) emotion management, highlighting the tense relationship between emotional experience and its expression, structured by hegemonic gender norms. The sub-themes suggested a dynamic interplay between spontaneity and filtered self-presentation in social environments, a sense of self negotiated between perceived uniqueness and constant comparison, and the body as a site of both investment and localised insecurities. Emotional processes appeared to be characterised by regulatory strategies geared towards control and distancing oneself from vulnerability. Discussion. The development of male identity appears to be subject to significant social pressures that may undermine the ability to engage in healthy mentalizing and expression of emotional experiences. The higher suicide rates and lower help-seeking among adolescent males highlighted by recent literature, underscore the importance of fostering greater clinical interest and prioritizing targeted research on this population. Interventions aimed at deconstructing rigid cultural norms and promoting affective education may represent crucial steps toward early prevention and the enhancement of psychological well-being.