An Integrative Model of the Impact of Exposure to Idealized Female Images on Adolescent Girls’ Body Satisfaction1

This research examined a model describing the interrelationships between individual characteristics and the extent of change in body dissatisfaction following exposure to idealized female images. Three samples of middle adolescent girls (2 Australian, n = 118, and n = 63; 1 Italian, n = 88) completed self‐report assessments. Several days later, they viewed idealized female images, and body satisfaction was assessed immediately prior to and following exposure. Across all 3 samples, structural equation modeling supported a model in which body comparison tendency mediated the role of psychological functioning and internalization of the thin ideal on changes in body satisfaction following image exposure. Internalization of the thin ideal partially mediated the path between psychological functioning and body comparison tendency.     

Is there a Relationship between Family Structure and Substance Use among Public Middle School Students?

We investigated the relationship between family structure and substance use in a sample of 2,138 public middle school students in a southern state. The CDC Middle School Youth Risk Behavior Survey was utilized and adjusted logistic regression models were created separately for four race/gender categories (African American females/males, and Caucasian females/males) to examine associations among selected drug use variables (tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and inhalants). Analyses were adjusted for social economic status. Results suggested differences (p ≤ .05) among race/gender groups for the protective effect of living in an intact family (both mother and father, real or adoptive) regarding substance use among middle school students. In addition, family structure appeared to have a stronger relationship with substance use for Caucasians as opposed to African American adolescents. Caucasian adolescents living in cohabitated family households were more likely to report substance use, when compared to those living in intact two-parent households. Adolescents who are undergoing parental divorce may need special attention as they transition into new family structures.     

The effects of a deposit contract as a component in a behavioural programme for stopping smoking

A contract procedure is described in which a money deposit provided by cigarette smokers at the time of stopping smoking is returned at set intervals contingent on their having not smoked. Outcome results up to 6 months after the stop smoking date are presented for 33 smokers who used this procedure as a component in a behavioural programme, and for 27 smokers who received the same treatment package but without the deposit component. The results for both groups are encouraging, and in the short term the deposit group did significantly better than the no-deposit group. Reasons for the failure of this difference to be maintained are discussed, and it is suggested that long term results would be improved by holding deposits over a longer interval. Other evidence is presented to show that the deposit procedure had a specific effect on smoking rather than a more general effect on attendance rates. Deposit contracts also appear acceptable to smokers. Urinary nicotine analysis appeared effective in deterring as well as detecting faking.     

Relationships Among Adolescent Girls' Eating Behaviors and Their Parents' Weight-Related Attitudes and Behaviors

This article examines adolescent girls' weightloss behaviors and possible parent influences related toweight and shape. Questionnaires were completed by 369grade 10 girls and their parents. Findings suggested that parent encouragement to loseweight was a more significant predictor of daughterdietary restraint than parents' own dietary restraintlevels. Mother influence variables added significantly to a regression equation after fatherinfluences had been entered, but the reverse was not thecase. Parents' food abstaining behaviors, such asfasting and skipping meals, predicted food abstaining in daughters. Most findings were replicated whendaughter body size was controlled for. Implications formodels of the transmission of diet and weight-relatedvalues from parent to child are discussed.     

Validation of the German version of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ-G)

The Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ) is widely used in the English-speaking countries as a measure of sociocultural influences on body image. Aim of this study was to provide validation data for three subscales of a boys’ and girls’ German version of the SATAQ (SATAQ-G). A sample of 819 male and 791 female Swiss adolescents completed the SATAQ-G internalization of body ideals, perceived pressure and awareness subscales. They also completed assessments of body dissatisfaction, weight and shape concerns, drive for thinness, weight and height. Factor analyses replicated the three subscales of the SATAQ for the boys’ as well as for the girls’ version. All three subscales showed good internal consistency. The internalization and pressure subscales indicated acceptable convergent validity. Awareness did not significantly predict body dissatisfaction. The SATAQ-G, particularly the subscales internalization and perceived pressure, seems to be a satisfactory measure of sociocultural influences on body image.     

Body Dissatisfaction in Adolescent Boys and Girls: Objectified Body Consciousness, Internalization of the Media Body Ideal and Perceived Pressure from Media

The aim of the present study was to examine a theoretical model describing the relationships between body shame and body surveillance (components of objectified body consciousness), internalization of the media body ideal, perceived pressure from media, body mass index and body dissatisfaction in Swiss adolescent boys and girls. A sample of 819 boys and 791 girls aged 14–16 years completed self-report measures of the mentioned concepts. As expected, girls had higher body shame and body surveillance than boys. Structural equation modelling supported the proposed model in both boys and girls. The findings suggest processes that may contribute to body dissatisfaction.     

Internet-Delivered Targeted Group Intervention for Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating in Adolescent Girls: A randomized controlled trial

This study evaluated a targeted intervention designed to alleviate body image and eating problems in adolescent girls that was delivered over the internet so as to increase access to the program. The program consisted of six, 90-minute weekly small group, synchronous on-line sessions and was facilitated by a therapist and manual. Participants were 73 girls (mean age=14.4 years, SD=1.48) who self-identified as having body image or eating problems and were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=36) (assessed at baseline, post-intervention and at 2- and 6-months follow-up) or a delayed treatment control group (n=37) (assessed at baseline and 6–7 weeks later). Clinically significant improvements in body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and depression were observed at post-intervention and maintained at follow-up. Internet delivery was enthusiastically endorsed. The program offers a promising approach to improve body image and eating problems that also addresses geographic access problems.     

Impact of exposure to idealised male images on adolescent boys' body image

Research examining the impact on adolescent boys of exposure to muscular, athletic, idealised male images has been limited. This research had two aims (i) to investigate the mean effect on state body satisfaction and mood of exposure to idealised male images in adolescent boys, and, (ii) to identify individual attributes that predicted change in state body satisfaction, depression and anxiety following image exposure. One hundred and six boys (mean age=15.6 years) completed a self-report questionnaire on body image attitudes and psychological status. One week later, participants were divided into two groups, one that viewed idealised male images (experimental condition) while the other viewed non-figure advertising images (control condition). Three body satisfaction Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and a depression and anxiety VAS were completed immediately prior to and following image exposure. In the experimental compared to control condition, there were no significant changes on Want Toned Body, Want to Change Body Shape, Depression and Anxiety VAS following image exposure. However, there was a significant improvement in Like Body Shape VAS. In the experimental group, high internalisation of the muscular, athletic ideal predicted more negative response to viewing images on the body image and Depression VAS. Prior body dissatisfaction significantly predicted negative response to Body Shape Liking and Anxiety VAS. While on average, adolescent boys in this research were not negatively affected by exposure to idealised male images, reaction to exposure is dependent on individual attributes.     

Lessons Learned in Developing a Research Partnership with the Transgender Community

The challenge facing the authors was to develop a relationship with members of the Transgender community in a large urban city in order to develop research that would benefit this group. The situation is presented from the differing perspectives of the three women involved (one Transgender woman and two biological women); they provide their accounts of a meeting with key members of the Transgender community where the challenge became apparent. During the meeting, the issue of representation arose resulting in a discussion of whether the research agenda should be focused on a specific subgroup under the Transgender umbrella or be open to all members of this diverse and underserved group. Reflections on what was learned about the diversity of individuals under the Transgender umbrella and the lessons that helped them respond to the challenge are discussed.     

Word association in early Alzheimer's disease

The hypothesis that Alzheimer's disease (AD) degrades semantic representations predicts that AD qualitatively alters spontaneous thoughts. In two experiments contrasting free associations to words with strong (e.g., bride-groom) versus weak (e.g., body-leg) associates participants with AD produced less common responses (e.g., bride-pretty) than normal controls but only for words with strong associations, and only on the first (but not on second or third) association response. Furthermore, all participants produced fewer semantically related responses to words with weak associates. Because strong associations should be retrieved more easily than weak associations these results are problematic for retrieval-based accounts of AD. Instead we propose that AD entails a semantic deficit, and that strong associations involve more semantic processing than weak associations (in all speakers).