Testing a Low-Intensity Single-Session Self-Compassion Intervention for State Body Shame in Adult Women: A Dismantling Randomized Controlled Trial

State body shame is a risk factor for eating disorders, and self-compassion is emerging as a potentially effective treatment option in such cases. This study tested the efficacy of a brief (15-minute) self-compassion intervention in reducing state body shame. Using dismantling trial methodology, participants were randomly allocated to an active compassion condition (n = 23), an inactive control compassion condition (n = 23), or an educational control condition (n = 23). Measures of state body image and state shame were collected pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and a day after the intervention. Subjective units of state body shame (SUBS) were intensively measured during each invention. Self-compassion interventions were equally efficacious at protecting against deterioration of state body shame and were effective at reducing state shame compared to the educational control condition, with medium effect sizes (respectively – n_p² = .07 and n_p² = .08). Reductions in state shame were retained at follow-up. None of the interventions had an effect on body image (n_p² = .04). Findings demonstrate the clinical promise of brief self-compassion interventions, particularly as evidenced-based “homework” exercises.     

The impact of thin idealized media images on body satisfaction: Does body appreciation protect women from negative effects?

This article examines whether positive body image can protect women from negative media exposure effects. University women (N = 112) were randomly allocated to view advertisements featuring ultra-thin models or control images. Women who reported high levels of body appreciation did not report negative media exposure effects. Furthermore, the protective role of body appreciation was also evident among women known to be vulnerable to media exposure. Women high on thin-ideal internalization and low on body appreciation reported appearance-discrepancies that were more salient and larger when they viewed models compared to the control group. However, women high on thin-ideal internalization and also high on body appreciation rated appearance-discrepancies as less important and no difference in size than the control group. The results support the notion that positive body image protects women from negative environmental appearance messages and suggests that promoting positive body image may be an effective intervention strategy.     

The Body Appreciation Scale: development and psychometric evaluation

Body image has been conceptualized and assessed almost exclusively in terms of its negative dimensions. Therefore, a measure reflecting body appreciation, an aspect of positive body image, was developed and evaluated via four independent samples of college women. Study 1 (N = 181) supported the Body Appreciation Scale's (BAS) unidimensionality and construct validity, as it was related as expected to body esteem, body surveillance, body shame, and psychological well-being. Study 2 (N = 327) cross-validated its unidimensionality. Study 3 (N = 424) further upheld the construct validity of the BAS, as it was: (a) related as expected to appearance evaluation, body preoccupation, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorder symptomatology and (b) unrelated to impression management. Studies 1 and 3 also indicated that the BAS predicted unique variance in psychological well-being above and beyond extant measures of body image. Study 4 (N = 177) demonstrated that its scores were stable over a 3-week period. All studies supported the internal consistency reliability of its scores. The BAS should prove useful for researchers and clinicians interested in positive body image assessment.     

Effectiveness of an Internet Dissonance-Based Eating Disorder Prevention Intervention Among Body-Dissatisfied Young Chinese Women

Body image disturbances are widespread in highly populated, rapidly developing Asian nations such as China, but there are severe shortages of practitioners qualified to treat these issues. In such contexts, validated online interventions offer a potentially viable approach for addressing the lack of treatment resources. In this study, we evaluated effects of the eBody Project, an online, dissonance-based eating disorder prevention program, on functioning among body-dissatisfied young Chinese women. Participating women were randomly assigned to the 6-week eBody Project intervention (n = 191) versus an education brochure control condition (n = 181). Self-report assessments of eating disorder risk factors (body dissatisfaction, thin ideal internalization, depressive symptoms, restrained eating), self-esteem, body appreciation, and disordered eating were completed at baseline, posttreatment, and a 6-month follow-up. There were no intervention differences on outcomes before treatment but eBody Project women experienced significantly larger improvements on all outcomes following treatment and/or at follow-up compared to controls; corresponding effect sizes were small to medium. Results indicated the eBody Project program is a promising intervention for young women at risk for eating disorders in China and provide foundations for broad implementation in low- and middle-income countries where resources for in-person therapy and supervision are limited or unavailable altogether.     

Body appreciation in adult women: Relationships with age and body satisfaction

The major aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of age on positive body image (operationalized as body appreciation) across the female lifespan. A secondary aim was to examine the effect of age on the relationship between positive body image and body satisfaction. Participants were 158 women aged between 18 and 75 years who completed questionnaire measures of body appreciation and body dissatisfaction–satisfaction. A significant positive linear relationship was found between age and body appreciation; that is, older women had higher levels of body appreciation than their younger counterparts. Although body appreciation was positively correlated with body dissatisfaction–satisfaction across all age groups, the association was weaker for older women. The results contribute to a richer picture of women's body image across the lifespan, as well as confirming positive body image as something beyond the mere absence of body dissatisfaction.     

Weight discrepancy and body appreciation among women in Poland and Britain

Previous studies have suggested that the process of transmigration has detrimental effects on the body image of migrants relative to women in the country of origin. In the present work, we examined the body image of Polish migrants in Britain (n = 153), Polish women in Poland (n = 153), and a comparison group of British White women (n = 110). Participants completed a measure of actual-ideal weight discrepancy and the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS). Contrary to hypotheses, our results showed that Polish women in Poland had significantly higher weight discrepancy than their counterparts in Britain. Further analyses showed that the BAS reduced to two dimensions among Polish participants, with Polish participants in Poland having significantly lower body appreciation than Polish migrants. We suggest that the sociocultural changes that have taken place in Eastern Europe may place women in that region at relatively high risk for developing negative body image.     

Assessment of Body Image in Younger and Older Women

Body image was compared in younger versus older women using questionnaires and women's responses to fatter and thinner images of their own bodies versus responses to line drawings of bodies in the Figure Ratings Scale. We found that younger and older women have similar body dissatisfaction but that younger women have a higher drive for thinness and experience more societal influence on their body image. Using images of one's own body versus line drawings did not result in different body dissatisfaction in younger versus older women. These data suggest that age affects some facets of body image but not others and that ratings of body image do not differ in normal, healthy younger and older women when personalized measures are used.     

A Pilot Study of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a Workshop Intervention for Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating Attitudes

Body image dissatisfaction is a source of significant distress among non-eating-disordered women, but because it is subclinical it is generally not treated. It remains stable throughout adulthood, and has proven resistant to many prevention interventions. This study presents a pilot test of a practical alternative: a 1-day Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) workshop targeting body dissatisfaction and disordered eating attitudes. Women with body dissatisfaction (N = 73) were randomly assigned to the workshop or to a wait list. Participants in both conditions also completed appetite awareness self-monitoring of hunger and satiety. After a brief 2-week follow-up, wait-list participants were also offered the workshop. Eating attitudes, body anxiety, and preoccupation with eating, weight, and shape improved in both arms of the study following the workshop. Participants in the ACT group showed significant reductions in body-related anxiety and significant increases in acceptance when compared to the wait-list control condition. ACT presented as a brief workshop intervention may be applicable for a broad range of women experiencing disordered eating attitudes and distress related to eating and body image; however, larger studies with longer follow-ups are needed.     

Body Image Preference in the United States and Rural Thailand: An Exploratory Study

The authors conducted a field study to examine the female body image preferences of young women and young men in a rural northern province of Thailand and in central California. The Thai participants did not have stronger body image preferences than did the U.S. participants overall. However, the young women preferred a significantly more slender body image than did the young men, F(1, 80) = 14.98, p < .001, and the Respondent Gender x Nationality interaction was also significant, F(1, 80) = 4.42, p = .039. Thai men, as expected, exhibited preferences for figures that were heavier than those preferred by their U.S. counterparts. Thai women, in contrast, exhibited preferences for figures that were thinner than those preferred by their U.S. counterparts or their male countrymen. These results are explained in terms of traditional Thai and U.S. values and in terms of Western cultural influences in modern Thailand.     

Y&#x27;s Girl: Increasing body satisfaction among primary school girls

To date, effective body image interventions for preadolescent school girls are lacking. The present study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of Y's Girl, a published body image curriculum specifically tailored for preadolescent school girls. A sample of 60 Grade 6 girls with a mean age of 11.25 (range of 11–12) years were allocated either to an intervention or control group and completed baseline and posttest measures of body image, thin-ideal internalization, body comparison, self-esteem, peer factors, and disordered eating. Findings revealed that, compared to the control group, girls receiving the intervention reported improved body image, thin-ideal internalization, body comparisons, and self-esteem at posttest 1 week after the intervention ended. Furthermore, changes in body satisfaction were moderated by initial levels of risk-factors. These findings provide initial support for Y's Girl as an effective, affordable body image intervention for preadolescent girls which can be implemented by teachers.     

Body appreciation,sexual relationship status,and protective sexual behaviors in women

The relationship between body appreciation and sexual risk reduction behavior in women is under-explored. This cross-sectional study examined the relationships between body appreciation, male condom use, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing among a community-based sample of women (n = 285). Logistic regression results revealed that after controlling for age, BMI, and sexual orientation, having more than one sexual partner moderated body appreciation and current male condom use (OR = 4.21, p < .01, CI = 1.510–11.726). Body appreciation was not a significant predictor of STI testing in the previous 12 months. This suggests that women with higher body appreciation may be more likely to engage in some protective sexual health behaviors. Interventions that seek to improve body appreciation instead of body size change such as weight loss or gain may encourage certain protective sexual behaviors in women.     

Appearance-based exercise motivation moderates the relationship between exercise frequency and positive body image

Individuals with a positive body image appreciate their bodies, hold an internal perspective of their bodies, and are satisfied with the functionality of their bodies. Research shows that positive body image is more complex than the absence of body dissatisfaction. Although exercise reduces women's body dissatisfaction, very little research has explored how, or even whether, exercise is associated with positive body image. Therefore, we examined whether exercise frequency was positively related to three aspects of positive body image (body appreciation, internal body orientation, and functional body satisfaction) among 321 college women. Appearance-based exercise motivation (the extent exercise is pursued to influence weight or shape) was hypothesized to moderate these associations. Hierarchical moderated regression analyses showed that exercise frequency was related to higher positive body image, but high levels of appearance-based exercise motivation weakened these relationships. Thus, messages promoting exercise need to de-emphasize weight loss and appearance for positive body image.     

The use of a mental imagery intervention to enhance integrated regulation for exercise among women commencing an exercise program

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a mental imagery intervention designed to enhance integrated regulation for exercise among women commencing an exercise program. Healthy women who previously did not exercise regularly (N?=?102; M _age ?=?29.54, SD?=?8.34) participated in an 8-week cardiovascular exercise program in which they exercised 3 times each week at a moderate intensity. The intervention group (n?=?51) received weekly guided imagery sessions which were administered in person via audio recording. A comparison group (i.e., attention control; n?=?51) received health information delivered in the same manner. Despite substantial dropout of participants from both groups, the analysis revealed that participants in the imagery group experienced greater changes in integration than participants in the comparison group. These findings support the utility of imagery interventions for influencing exercise-related cognitions, and more specifically integrated regulation.     

The UCLA Body Project I: Gender and Ethnic Differences in Self-Objectification and Body Satisfaction Among 2,206 Undergraduates

This study examined whether objectification theory is useful for understanding gender, body mass, and ethnic differences in body satisfaction among 2,206 US undergraduates who completed a body image survey. Women reported lower body satisfaction than men (d?=?.37) and this was true across the majority of the BMI continuum. Very slender men, however, were less satisfied than very slender women who approached the female thin-ideal. Differences in body satisfaction among White, Asian, and Hispanic participants were small to moderate (ds?=?.18 to .45). Consistent with the prediction that self-objectification has particularly negative effects on women who deviate from the slender White ideal, the association between body dissatisfaction and appearance surveillance was strongest for heavier and minority women.     

Effects of Physical Exercise on Resources Evaluation,Body Self-Concept and Well-Being Among Older Adults

This study addressed the effects of a 14-week moderate physical activity program on resources evaluation, body self-concept and other health-related psychological variables among older adults. In a quasi-experimental design participants were divided into three groups and completed questionnaires twice, before ( t 1) and after ( t 2) the 14-week program. The experimental group participated in a supervised mixed exercise program of moderate intensity. The placebo attention control group took part in a foreign language course. The no intervention control group did not get any intervention/attention at all. The dependent variables were resources evaluation, body self-concept, trait anxiety, and psychosomatic complaints. Using the pretest data as covariates multivariate analyses of covariance revealed significant improvements in body self-concept in the experimental group compared to the control groups. No other significant differences could be detected. Results point to the positive effects of exercise on body self-concept even among older adults.     

Factor structure of the Body Appreciation Scale among Indonesian women and men: Further evidence of a two-factor solution in a non-Western population

While the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) reduces to a single dimension among Western samples, a two-factor solution has been found among non-Western populations. The present study examined the factor structure of the BAS among Indonesian women and men, a previously neglected population. A total of 262 women and 278 men in Jakarta, Indonesia, completed an Indonesian version of the BAS. Factor analyses revealed the existence of two factors that were only moderately correlated: a dominant 10-item factor representing general body appreciation and a second 3-item factor representing adaptive body image investment. However, only general body appreciation met criteria for acceptable internal consistency; thus, additional analyses were conducted with this factor alone. There were no significant ethnic differences in general body appreciation, but men had significantly higher body appreciation than women. Suggestions for future research, particularly in terms of uncovering culture-specific factors that contribute to positive body image, are discussed.     

Experimental Evidence that Theistic-Religious Body Affirmations Improve Women's Body Image

We examined in a random-assignment, pretest-posttest design whether college women's body image would improve after reading religious and spiritual affirmations about their bodies. The sample was predominantly white and Christian. In a pretest, women completed measures of religiosity and body esteem (how they felt about their weight and appearance) and were then assigned via matched random assignment to three different groups for a treatment and posttest one week later. In the Religious group, women read affirmations with a theistic and Christian-based tone that emphasized God's love and acceptance of their bodies; in the Spiritual group, women read body affirmations with a more positive secular tone and no mention of God; Control group women read random statements about campus issues. After reading the affirmations, women then viewed photos of "thin ideal" fashion models to activate body image concerns. Women next completed the posttest body esteem measures. Women in the Religious group increased significantly compared to Control women (who declined) in how they felt about their appearance and looks. Women in the Spiritual condition improved marginally compared to the Control condition.     

Body image and personality among British men: Associations between the Big Five personality domains,drive for muscularity,and body appreciation

The present study examined associations between the Big Five personality domains and measures of men's body image. A total of 509 men from the community in London, UK, completed measures of drive for muscularity, body appreciation, the Big Five domains, and subjective social status, and provided their demographic details. The results of a hierarchical regression showed that, once the effects of participant body mass index (BMI) and subjective social status had been accounted for, men's drive for muscularity was significantly predicted by Neuroticism (β = .29). In addition, taking into account the effects of BMI and subjective social status, men's body appreciation was significantly predicted by Neuroticism (β = −.35) and Extraversion (β = .12). These findings highlight potential avenues for the development of intervention approaches based on the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and body image.     

Self-Objectification and Pregnancy: Are Body Functionality Dimensions Protective?

Objectification theory contends that women are socialized to view their body as an object to be evaluated by others (Fredickson and Roberts 1997). In contrast, pregnancy may be a time that women are more attuned to their body??s functionality. Extending objectification theory, we investigate relationships among body surveillance, awareness and appreciation of body functionality, depressive symptoms, and prenatal health behaviors among an on-line sample of 156 predominantly White, middle-class pregnant women from throughout the U.S recruited through maternity stores, message boards, listservs, and snowballing techniques. We examine whether higher levels of awareness and appreciation of body functionality may attenuate, and thereby possibly protect women from the negative effects of high body surveillance. We found that higher body surveillance was associated with depressive symptoms and, although not significant, tended to be associated with engagement in unhealthy prenatal behaviors. Awareness and appreciation of body functionality were each associated with fewer depressive symptoms and less engagement in unhealthy prenatal behaviors. Supporting our hypotheses, we found that at higher levels of appreciation of body functionality, the relationship between body surveillance and engagement in unhealthy behaviors was attenuated. However, in contrast to our hypotheses, the relationship between body surveillance and depression was stronger at higher levels of awareness of body functionality, and attenuated at lower levels. These findings suggest appreciation of body functionality may buffer negative effects of body surveillance. Future research examining these relationships over the course of pregnancy, and among ethnically and socioeconomically diverse women, is needed.     

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Bariatric Surgery Patients: Preliminary Evidence for Feasibility,Acceptability, and Effectiveness

Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for extreme obesity; however, 20% to 50% of patients begin to regain their weight within the first 1.5 to 2 years following surgery. Despite some psychosocial factors predicting postoperative weight loss and weight regain, psychosocial interventions are not routinely offered in bariatric surgery programs. In this paper, we describe a 6-session cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention for preoperative and postoperative bariatric surgery patients with maladaptive eating behaviors or thought patterns, which can be delivered either in person or by telephone. In addition, we describe a small pilot study (n = 8) designed to examine the feasibility and acceptability of the CBT intervention, as well as its effectiveness in improving eating pathology and psychosocial functioning. Most pilot study participants reported improvements in binge eating severity, emotional eating, and depression from pre- to posttreatment, and all participants provided positive qualitative feedback regarding the intervention.