Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the body images, appearance management behavior, and stress of senior elementary school students, and examine whether stress has a moderating effect on the relationship between students’ body image and physical appearance management behavior. \\r\\nMethods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. Data were collected from November to December 2016 in elementary schools in South Korea, and 130 senior students participated. \\r\\nResults: Participants’ mean body image scores were 12.66 out of 20, while their physical appearance management behavior and stress scores were 70.24 and 60.78, respectively. Physical appearance management behavior was negatively correlated with body image (r = -.228, p = .010) and happiness (r = -.177, p = .047), and was positively correlated with stress (r = .317, p < .001) and having a favorite entertainer (r = .379, p < .001). The moderating effect of stress on the relationship between the appearance management behavior and body image was significant (β = .198, p = .015). Therefore, the stress level shows the effect of moderating the influence of the body image on the physical appearance management behavior. \\r\\nConclusion: Among individuals with high stress, physical appearance management behavior was high even when students’ body image was highly positive. These results can be used as basic data for developing educational programs required to help early adolescent students develop and maintain their desirable body images, and thus grow into psychosocially healthy and confident adolescents and adults.\\r\\n

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