The effect of mindfulness‐based stress reduction on body image concerns of adolescent girls with dysfunctional eating attitudes

Abstract

ObjectiveIn order to face the gain weight stress during puberty, adolescents often adopt an improper approach to eating which might lead to ineffective nutritional attitudes. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention on the body image concerns of adolescent girls with dysfunctional eating attitudes.MethodFor this purpose, an experimental design with pre‐test, post‐test, control group, and follow‐up was used. The population included 200 high school girls of Isfahan, Iran, from whom a sample of 30 students was selected based on the inclusion criteria and was randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received MBSR intervention for eight 90‐min sessions and the control group received no intervention. Following the intervention, the two groups were post‐tested and to assess the sustainability of the intervention effect, both groups were followed up 40-days later. Data were collected by the Eating Attitude Test and Body Image Concern Inventory and analysed using analysis of variance.ResultsThe findings of the study indicated that MBSR influenced the body image of adolescent girls with dysfunctional eating attitudes, and there was a significant difference between the experimental and the control groups in body image concerns (p < .001).ConclusionIt might be concluded that MBSR can be effective in improving the body image of adolescent girls with dysfunctional eating attitudes.