Body Satisfaction Research Articles

Influence of exercise in the body image of preadolescents and adolescents: importance of the index of corporal mass as a factor of confusion

Introduction: adolescents are the group most vulnerable to distortions in the perception of their image. This often leads to body dissatisfaction that can negatively affect their self-esteem. The practice of physical activity (PA) could help solve this problem. Objectives: to analyze the influence that the amount of PA performed has on the self-perception of body image in the pre and adolescent population while taking into account confounding factors that could affect this relationship. Methods: a cross-sectional study of 822 participants aged 9 to 16 years was conducted. The prevalence of PA, their body mass index (BMI), and their objective and perceived physical condition (PC) were determined. The Stunkard pictogram was used to determine the degree of body dissatisfaction. Results: a generalized satisfaction with own body image was found regardless of age and sex. Low-magnitude significant associations were found between perceived body image and the amount of PA, perceived PC, and objective PC. PA did not influence body satisfaction when adjusted for BMI, which was the variable that presented the highest correlations with self-perception (r = 0.713) and self-satisfaction (r = 0.576). Conclusions: a generalized satisfaction with one's own body image was identified in the pre and adolescent population under study. The amount of PA was not shown to be a variable with great influence on self-perception and body satisfaction, contrary to BMI.

웨이트 트레이닝 참여 남성의 객체화 신체의식이 신체만족도와 외모관리의도에 미치는 영향

This study aims to investigate how the body satisfaction and appearance management intention of men in their 20s and 30s is affected by men"s objectified body consciousness; their level of SNS use; and their level of weight training. An online survey was conducted on men in their 20s and 30s who do weight training more than once a week, and 201 responses were used for data analysis. For data analysis, frequency analysis, factor analysis, reliability analysis, multiple regression analysis, and mediating analysis using Hayes SPSS process macro were performed. Sub-dimensions of objectified body consciousness—body shame, body surveillance, and control belief—were obtained. It was found that control belief and the level of weight training had a significantly positive effect on body satisfaction, indicating that the higher the control belief and level of weight training, the higher the body satisfaction. It was also found that body shame; the level of SNS use; the level of weight training; and body satisfaction had a positive effect on appearance management intention. This indicates that the higher one feels body shame and body satisfaction, combined with high levels of SNS use and weight training, the higher the intention to manage one’s appearance becomes. Finally, body satisfaction acts as a mediating variable in the relationships between control belief and intention to manage one’s appearance, and between level of weight training and the intention to manage one’s appearance.

Self-Compassion Focused Writing Practices: A Systematic Review

In the current systematic review study, it is focused on examining the interventions of 'self-compassion-focused writing', which is a method that combines the concept of self-compassion, which has gained attention in the psychology literature in recent years, and the Written Emotional Disclosure Paradigm which is based on expressing emotions by writing. For this purpose, ScienceDirect, PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed, EbscoHost and DergiPark databases were searched through various keywords. Considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study, 31 studies determined to be fit for purpose were examined in terms of sample characteristics, methodology and results. It was observed that the studies were generally conducted with college students and predominantly female, the results were compared with the active intervention groups, random assignment was made to the groups, and repeated measurements were taken. Generally, it has been determined that self-compassion-focused writing provides positive changes on psychological (depression, positive/negative affect), body-related (body satisfaction, body image) and physical (pain) variables. In the reviewed studies, it was concluded that self-compassion-focused writing generally tended to produce stronger positive results compared to active control groups (traditional writing, self-esteem-based writing). Besides, it was observed that the positive changes obtained in studies that carried out follow-up evaluations tended to continue partially. The results show that self-compassion-focused writing is a promising method.

To Inject or to Reject? The Body Image Perception among Aesthetic Dermatology Patients.

Background: Nowadays, aesthetic dermatology treatment has become not only physical beautification but also it can have positive effects on patients’ mental health. Body dysmorphic disorder can be the reason for treatment dissatisfaction. In the general population, the prevalence of BDD is 1.9% and it is more common among cosmetic patients. The aim of this study was to conduct the most comprehensive evaluation of body image and BDD among aesthetic patients. Methods: We recruited a group of 412 individuals, who were asked to complete 6 different on-line questionnaires concerning self-image, i.e., COPS, AAI, FAS, BAS-2, BSQ-16, and RSES. Results: The prevalence of BDD ranged from 7.28% to 11.17%, depending on the screening tool that was used. Our research revealed that BDD susceptibility, body image, body appreciation, and self-esteem were strongly interrelated (p < 0.001). A higher BMI was a risk factor for BDD, body dissatisfaction, and depreciation. The financial status markedly influenced all of the features. A history of psychiatric treatment influenced the risk of BDD, body satisfaction, body appreciation, and self-esteem. A history of cosmetic procedures and treatment satisfaction had no impact on the obtained results. Conclusions: Improving recognition of body dissatisfaction among aesthetic patients is very important. The psychometric assessment of patients before cosmetic treatment could be of help in choosing the appropriate approach.

Imagery versus captions: The effect of body positive Instagram content on young women’s mood and body image

Body positive social media content aims to positively impact young women’s body image and mood by challenging traditionally narrow beauty ideals. This online experiment investigated the effect of viewing body positive Instagram posts on young women’s body image and mood, whilst focusing on understanding the impact of the images and captions in the posts. Overall, 195 young women (18–30 years old) were randomly assigned to view either body positive (consisting of images and captions), body positive captions only, body positive images only, or thin-ideal Instagram posts. Positive mood increased in all conditions pre to post exposure. Further, body satisfaction and negative mood improved pre-post exposure for all body positive conditions. However, when controlling for trait body appreciation significant effects only remained for the combined image and caption body positive condition. There were no significant differences in positive mood, state body appreciation, self-objectification, or broad conceptualisations of beauty between the three body positive exposure conditions. Therefore, to improve body satisfaction and mood, body positive content should include a combination of images and captions.

20·30대 중국 여성의 외현적 자기애가 신체 이미지 및 뷰티관리 행동에 미치는 영향

This study attempted to investigate the influence of overt narcissistic tendencies on body images and beauty care behavior against young women in their 20s-30s living of China. For this, a survey was reconstructed based on previous studies, and the first pilot study was conducted against 20 Chinese women in their 20s or older. A total of 406 copies were used for the final analysis. The above results confirm that as overt narcissistic tendencies get stronger, body satisfaction, appearance orientation, ‘home beauty care’ and ‘beauty care by expert’ were higher. In a rapidly changing Chinese modern society, such trend has been influenced by social changes such as lookism and spread of online media. Under these circumstances, those with overt narcissistic tendencies having individualistic thinking and ostentatious attitude believe that outer beauty is more important than inner beauty. It is anticipated that the study results would be available as basic data in understanding the desirable values and sociocultural trends of beauty, suggesting the positive aspects of Chinese beauty industry and developing effective marketing strategies.

Eating Behaviours in Sportswomen from the Silesian Training in Different Sports Disciplines.

The study covered a group of girls and young women from the Silesian, Poland, who represented three sports disciplines (volleyball, athletics, and gymnastics), of which 30 girls were used as a control group (B). The study was conducted using a study questionnaire. The study participants ate regularly and consumed all food groups during a week. The majority of girls from A1 (83.33%), A3 (53.33%), and B (80%) groups expressed their dissatisfaction with their body weight. In the group of gymnasts, a positive correlation was noted between the need to reduce body weight and regular eating (r = 0.449; p = 0.013). In the group of volleyball players, it was demonstrated that the higher the competitive experience and the greater the training load, the more regular their eating was (r = 0.475; p = 0.009). The importance of a diagnosis of early signs of eating disorders in girls and women as a basic component contributing to FAT development implies that further studies in this area, as well as education of the entire sports circle are necessary.

Exploring the relations of subjective and objective Instagram use on young adults' mental health

We collected objective digital trace Instagram use data and subjective self-report use data to investigate relations with self-reported self-esteem, loneliness, body satisfaction, and depression among 192 young adults (ages 18–25). To our knowledge, this work is among the first of its kind to include both self-report data and digital trace data to understand similarities and differences in how each relates to aspects of users’ mental health. We measured and coded for both active and passive social media use. For objective passive Instagram use, results showed a negative relationship with loneliness and depression, and a positive relationship with body satisfaction and self-esteem. Subjective passive use, however, was related positively to depression. Subjective active use was also positively related to depression. We discuss the implications of these findings, given the observed differences in the relationships as a function of the type of Instagram use measurement.

Effect of exposure to thinness ideals in social networks on self-esteem and anxiety

Social networks use is related to the occurrence of eating disorders (ED). In this study, we experimentally evaluated the effect of exposure to social networks and stereotypical images of the thinness ideal on ED symptomatology and analyzed the mediator role of anxiety in this process. A sample of 321 young adults of both sexes (166 females) were randomly assigned to two experimental conditions: high and low exposure to the thin ideal. Our results indicate a decrease in self-esteem in the group exposed to the thin images and an increase in anxiety. We found the effect of the images on self-esteem is completely mediated by the increase in anxiety. No changes in body satisfaction or drive for thinness were found. Our study shows how brief exposure to images and profiles representative of the thin ideal seems to influence participants' self-esteem. These results show the need to raise awareness of the possible consequences of social media, as well as to promote a healthy use of social networks.

Does Appearance Matter during Pregnancy? A Cross-Sectional Study of Body Satisfaction from Pre-Pregnancy to Late Gestation

Few studies have explored the associations between body satisfaction and physical activity and weight gain during pregnancy, and none have been conducted in Scandinavia. Hence, the aim of the present study was to evaluate changes in body satisfaction from pre-pregnancy to late pregnancy and investigate whether this differed according to parity. We also wanted to explore the association between body satisfaction and physical activity and weight gain among pregnant women in Norway. This cross-sectional survey used an electronic questionnaire to assess physical activity level, weight gain and women's satisfaction with body weight and size. In total, 150 pregnant women answered the questionnaire. Related-samples Wilcoxon signed rank tests, Mann-Whitney U tests and chi-square tests were used to answer our research questions. The proportion of women who were dissatisfied with their body weight and shape increased from pre-pregnancy to late gestation (body weight p = 0.030 and body shape p = 0.040). Body dissatisfaction before and during pregnancy was linked to weight gain above recommendations. Characterising oneself as physically active prior to pregnancy was associated with satisfaction with body shape pre-pregnancy. Given that mothers strongly influence how a child will judge their body later in life, the results of this study underline the importance of addressing these issues during pregnancy.

Body image disturbance and associated eating disorder and body dysmorphic disorder pathology in gay and heterosexual men: A systematic analyses of cognitive, affective, behavioral und perceptual aspects.

This study contributes to the quantitatively large, yet narrow in scope research on body image in gay men by assessing whether gay and heterosexual men systematically differ on various dimensions of body image disturbance and associated pathology, i.e., eating disorder and body dysmorphic disorder symptoms. Moreover, we examined the influence of general everyday discrimination experiences and involvement with the gay community on body image. N = 216 men (n = 112 gay men, n = 104 heterosexual men) participated in an online survey measuring the discrepancy between self-rated current and ideal body fat/ muscularity; drive for leanness, muscularity, and thinness; body satisfaction; body-related avoidance and checking; appearance fixing; overall body image disturbance; eating disorder and body dysmorphic disorder pathology; general everyday discrimination experiences; and involvement with the gay community. Gay men showed a greater discrepancy between self-rated current and ideal body fat; higher drive for thinness, body-related avoidance, appearance fixing, overall body image disturbance, eating disorder and body dysmorphic disorder pathology; and lower body appreciation than heterosexual men (all p ≤ .05). Contrary to expectation, everyday discrimination experiences were more strongly associated with body image disturbance and eating disorder/ body dysmorphic disorder pathology in heterosexual men than in gay men (all p ≤ .05). Gay community involvement was not associated with any body image disturbance-, ED-, or BDD aspect in gay men (all p ≥ .20). The results suggest greater body image disturbance in gay men than in heterosexual men regarding cognitions, emotions, behaviors, and perception as well as higher eating disorder and body dysmorphic disorder pathology. The results also suggest the dilemma of a thin, yet muscular body ideal in gay men. Surprisingly, discrimination experiences and involvement with the gay community did not explain differences in body image disturbance. Gay men may have become resilient to discrimination over time, and body ideals might differ across gay sub-communities.

Rethinking conceptions of body image in group fitness education, culture, and contexts: Recommendations for perspective transformation and innovations in instructional methods

This article examines the situation of group fitness instructors with particular attention to the implications of the influence of fitness culture on body-related norms which shape instructors’ self-perceived conceptions of body image. Of particular interest is the consideration of how self-perception influences an instructor’s performance, and their ability to educate and motivate their class participants. Evidence will show that the most popular ways that body image is incorporated into and represented within the group fitness setting are limiting and misguided, and there are better methods for instruction that fitness professionals and the industry can follow. Recommendations for practice and suggestions for interventions to encourage adequate body satisfaction in the group fitness instructor’s context will be provided for both individual and collective levels of action. This will include what instructors can do at an individual level to improve their self-perceptions and professional practice and support themselves and their peers; what can be done in gyms and fitness facilities to improve community support for instructors; and what can be done at the fitness industry level to encourage a cultural shift in body-related norms and expectations.

Evaluation of the CNC® prosthetic system in recurrent breast cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced alopecia: a pilot study

BackgroundChemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA), although generally reversible, is felt as extremely distressing by patients with breast cancer. A certified medical device (Capelli Naturali a Contatto®—CNC®) was produced to provide patients with a personalized scalp prosthesis, reproducing the patient’s original hair, resistant to any type of everyday or sporting activity, and hairdressing.AimsThe present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the CNC® device on the patient’s perception of their body image, psychological wellbeing, satisfaction, strengths and weakness of the CNC® device.MethodA pilot study was carried out on 21 patients affected by CIA due to recurrent breast cancer. A mixed quantitative/qualitative method was used, including administering a questionnaire and a focus group.ResultsBased on the Body Image Scale, body image perception improved after 3 and 6 months using the device in the 20 patients who answered the questionnaire. No significant change over time emerged for the six dimensions investigated by the Italian version of the Psychological Well-Being Scale. The thematic analysis of the focus groups showed six themes: definition of the prosthetic device, acceptance of the proposal, experience with the conventional wig, strengths, weaknesses, economic issues.ConclusionCompared to the previous experience of CIA and the standard wig, the use of the CNC® device improved everyday life and may be proposed to women undergoing chemotherapy and expecting alopecia to prevent discomfort, social embarrassment, and compromised body image.

Aspirational leaders help us change: Ingroup prototypicality enables effective group psychotherapy leadership.

Research suggests that leaders are effective when they are ingroup prototypical (represent the identity of the group they seek to lead). However, it is unclear whether leaders should represent the group's current identity ("who we are") or aspired identity ("who we want to be"). This study investigated which of these forms of prototypicality best predicted leadership effectiveness in group psychotherapy. Longitudinal study. 519 questionnaire responses were obtained from 112 women attending a four-session body acceptance program. Focal measures included participant ratings of how often they thought their psychotherapy leaders and fellow group members would (a) engage in dieting thoughts and behaviours and (b) approve of dieting. Given the program's body acceptance focus, leader prototypicality was conceptualized as the difference between participants' perceptions of how often their leaders, versus group members, would diet at the start of therapy. Leadership effectiveness was conceptualized as reductions in perceived group approval of dieting across therapy. Two therapeutic outcomes were considered: body satisfaction and dieting intentions. A mixed-effects repeated measures analysis indicated that group approval of dieting decreased more rapidly when participants perceived their leaders to be aspirational (thought that group leaders dieted less frequently than group members) than when they perceived them to be exemplary (thought that group leaders dieted as frequently as group members). Changes in group approval of dieting mediated the relationship between leader prototypicality and improved therapeutic outcomes. Findings suggest that group psychotherapy leaders may increase their effectiveness by striving to embody their group's aspired identity.

The dark side of #bodypositivity: The relationships between sexualized body-positive selfies on Instagram and acceptance of cosmetic surgery among women

One growing social media trend consists in posting body-positive content to subvert dominant feminine beauty ideals and help individuals to develop confidence and appreciation for their bodies. In spite of these goals, such posts, when sexualized, may promote an objectified representation of women's bodies resulting in a risk factor for body-related concerns. The present study aimed to investigate the links between viewing sexualized body-positive Instagram pictures and body image concerns among 493 young Italian women. They completed a self-reported questionnaire measuring the frequency of viewing sexually objectified body-positive selfies on Instagram, body surveillance, body satisfaction, and acceptance of cosmetic surgery. Results indicated that the frequency of viewing sexualized body-positive selfies was positively associated with body surveillance, which was negatively related to body satisfaction. In turn, body satisfaction was negatively associated with considering modifying one's body surgically and acceptance of cosmetic surgery for social reasons. Moreover, a serial mediation analysis showed that the frequency of viewing sexualized selfies was indirectly associated with higher acceptance of cosmetic surgery (considering having cosmetic surgery and social motivation for undergoing cosmetic surgery) via body surveillance and subsequent body satisfaction. Finally, study limitations and implications for future research on body-positive content on Instagram are discussed.

Development of the Children's Body Satisfaction Scale: Its psychometric characteristics for children.

Body satisfaction is a key factor in children's healthy eating and self-perception. This study aims to develop The Children's Body Satisfaction Scale to measure body image satisfaction in children, which consists of three sub-dimensions ('acceptance of physical appearance', 'weight satisfaction' and 'flexibility in the importance attached to the ideal'). The study was conducted with 473 primary school students in Ankara in 2021. The mean age of the participants, of whom 44.6% were female and 55.4% were male, was 9.38 ± 0.65 (between 8 and 10 years old). Socio-demographic Information Form, the Children's Body Satisfaction Scale (CBSS), the Children's Body Image Scale and 'physical appearance' and 'general self-esteem' sub-scales of the Self-Perception Profile for Children were used for the data collection. CBSS consists of 3 sub-dimensions and 18 items. Calculated to be 0.84, the Cronbach alpha coefficient of the scale was found to be quite high. The item-total correlations were determined to be higher than 0.20 for all the items in the scale, and the t values of the comparison of the lower and upper 27% of all the items were significant. A high level (r > 0.70) positive and significant relationship was found in the test-retest reliability of the CBSS total and sub-dimension scores. A positive and significant relationship was found between CBSS total and general self-esteem and body size satisfaction. The validity and reliability analyses of the CBSS applied as part of the study show that it has strong psychometric properties in determining the level of body image satisfaction for children aged between 8 and 10. The sub-dimensions of CBSS provide a comprehensive measure to understand body dissatisfaction in children and to test the effectiveness of intervention programmes.

The relationship of body image and weight: A cross-sectional observational study of a Dutch female sample.

Body image concerns may play a role in weight changing behaviour. The objective of this study was to assess body image in different weight groups. Participants reported satisfaction with (AE) and investment in (AO) appearance, and the discrepancy between current and ideal body size (BS). These scores were compared between weight groups based on body-mass index (BMI) using analysis of variance. One-sample t-tests and Cohen's d effect sizes examined the magnitude of differences within each weight group relative to neutral midpoints of the scales; cluster analysis identified body image profiles. A total of 27 896 women were included in this study. AE scores were highest for people with underweight and normal weight, AO scores were highest for the underweight group and lowest in class III obesity, and BS scores were largest in the obese groups (all p < .001) Cluster analysis identified eight body image profiles. In people with obesity, the most prevalent profiles included a preference for a smaller body and low satisfaction with appearance, but differed in investment in appearance (low vs. high). Most people with underweight were allocated to profiles showing high investment in their appearance, preference of a larger body, but differences in satisfaction with appearance (neutral vs. high). While people with a higher BMI have on average more body image concerns, different body image profiles exist in all weight groups. Future research should examine whether and which individuals in terms of body image profile may benefit more from weight interventions.

The Virtual "Enfacement Illusion" on Pain Perception in Patients Suffering from Chronic Migraine: A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

given the limited efficacy, tolerability, and accessibility of pharmacological treatments for chronic migraine (CM), new complementary strategies have gained increasing attention. Body ownership illusions have been proposed as a non-pharmacological strategy for pain relief. Here, we illustrate the protocol for evaluating the efficacy in decreasing pain perception of the enfacement illusion of a happy face observed through an immersive virtual reality (VR) system in CM. the study is a double-blind randomized controlled trial with two arms, involving 100 female CM patients assigned to the experimental group or the control group. The experimental group will be exposed to the enfacement illusion, whereas the control group will be exposed to a pleasant immersive virtual environment. Both arms of the trial will consist in three VR sessions (20 min each). At the baseline and at the end of the intervention, the patients will fill in questionnaires based on behavioral measures related to their emotional and psychological state and their body satisfaction. Before and after each VR session, the level of pain, the body image perception, and the affective state will be assessed. this study will provide knowledge regarding the relationship between internal body representation and pain perception, supporting the effectiveness of the enfacement illusion as a cognitive behavioral intervention in CM.

Anabolic-androgenic steroid use: Patterns of use among a national sample of Canadian adolescents and young adults

BackgroundAndrogenic-anabolic steroid (AAS) use is relatively common among international recreational and community samples and is associated with several deleterious side effects and health consequences that have not been studied recently among a large Canadian sample. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess and describe characteristics of AAS users compared to non-AAS users among a national sample of Canadian adolescents and young adults. MethodsData from 2,774 adolescents and young adults from the Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors were analyzed. Participants were recruited via social media advertisements and completed the survey online. Survey items measured sociodemographics, AAS use, AAS side effects, motives for AAS use, AAS administration, body satisfaction, other illicit substance use, mental health, and violence involvement. ResultsAmong the overall sample, 1.6% of participants reported lifetime AAS use, with the majority of users being White, heterosexual males. Most users strived to gain weight, with main motives for AAS use including increased muscularity and strength, and improved appearance. Most AAS users were satisfied with their body compared to non-users. Approximately one in five users had AAS dependence and experienced multiple adverse side effects. Few differences between users and non-users in self-reported mental health were found. ConclusionFindings indicate that AAS use among a community sample of Canadian adolescents and young adults is an important health issue, particularly given the relatively high occurrence of AAS dependence and adverse side effects reported by users. Findings support the need for education and intervention efforts from healthcare professionals. Further investigations among Canadian AAS users may provide more insight regarding the unique supports these individuals require.

Body satisfaction of lesbian and bisexual Brazilian women: Indicators of self-esteem, physical appearance perfectionism, and identity processes

This article examined the association between body satisfaction and sexual identification among lesbian and bisexual women, since these factors help to understand the cultural background of the objectification of female bodies in Latin cultures. Women who identify as lesbian (N = 239) and bisexual (N = 60) completed demographic data and measures of self-esteem, physical appearance perfectionism, lesbian and bisexual identity difficulties, and body satisfaction. We performed a three-stage hierarchical multiple regression to explore how variables relate to body satisfaction. The results suggest that self-esteem plays a key role, explaining 20.4% of the variance in body satisfaction. We discussed the psychosocial and cultural aspects involved in the relationship between the variables, and social and aesthetic pressures on women’s bodies. This study contributes to discussions on psychosocial aspects associated with body satisfaction among Brazilian lesbian and bisexual women.