Social Physique Anxiety Research Articles

Effectiveness of Narrative Therapy on Social Physique Anxiety in Obese and Overweight Women (Original Article)

Effectiveness of Narrative Therapy on Social Physique Anxiety in Obese and Overweight Women (Original Article)

Validation of a Virtual Environment to Induce State Social Physique Anxiety in Women with Obesity and Social Physique Anxiety.

State Social Physique Anxiety (SPA), in contrast to Trait SPA, is triggered by specific situations that elicit SPA. To date, no research has used virtual reality (VR) to recreate a situation that may elicit State SPA. The purpose of this study is to validate a virtual environment (VE) that simulates an anxiogenic situation to induce State SPA in women with obesity and high SPA. The high SPA group consisted of 25 self-identified women living with obesity and high Trait SPA. The low SPA group consisted of 20 self-identified women with low SPA. All participants were immersed in a virtual swimming pool environment for 10 min using a virtual reality headset. After the immersion, State SPA and fear of being negatively judged felt during immersion were measured with self-report questionnaires. A questionnaire assessing unwanted negative side effects was administered before and after the immersion. Using an ANCOVA with Trait SPA as covariate, State SPA was found to be significantly higher in the high SPA group. Fear of being judged negatively was also significantly higher in the high SPA group. Unwanted negative side effects scores did not increase post-immersion in either group. This study documents the validity of a novel VE for inducing State SPA in women with obesity and high SPA.

Relationships of Body Dissatisfaction and Self-Esteem with Social Physique Anxiety among University Students in Different Study Programs

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of body dissatisfaction and self-esteem with social physique anxiety in students pursuing different subjects of study. A total of 219 students aged 22 ± 1.9 years of age participated; 78 were men and 141 women. The participants were divided into two groups according their subject of study. Group A consisted of 123 (56.2%) students in the Department of Physical Education & Sport Science, whose studies were directly associated with the body and physical appearance. Group B consisted of 96 (43.8%) students in other departments. All participants completed the scales: (a) Social Physique Anxiety, (b) Body Dissatisfaction and (c) Self-Esteem. Correlation analysis indicated positive significant values between social physique anxiety, body dissatisfaction and body mass index, and a negative significant correlation between social physique anxiety and self-esteem. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis with social physique anxiety as a dependent variable across the sample and in group A revealed that social physique anxiety was significantly positively predicted by body dissatisfaction and significantly negatively predicted by self-esteem. For group B, social physique anxiety was significantly positively predicted by only body dissatisfaction. T test analysis indicated significant differences in body dissatisfaction, with group B scoring higher than group A. The results are discussed in the context of practical applications to address symptoms of social physique anxiety regarding body construction in young adults and to provide regular exercise support in study programs at universities.

A psychosocial investigation of exercise preferences in real and virtual environments

Three studies explored exercise preferences in real-world and virtual environments, and their relationship with social physique anxiety (SPA), social comparison, and self-presentational efficacy (SPE). In Study 1 (N = 230), real-world exercise preferences were explored. Study 2 (N = 228) measured preferences for real-world and virtual reality (VR) exercise, and Study 3 (N = 249) investigated preferences for avatar embodiment and virtual companions within VR. Results revealed that participants who preferred home-based exercise had lower exercise behaviour, more negative fitness-related social comparisons, or lower SPE expectancy and outcome value (Study 1). Individuals with lower exercise behaviour, more negative fitness-related social comparisons, lower SPE expectancy, or higher SPA were also more likely to choose VR than real-world exercise (Study 2). In a VR exercise setting, participants with higher SPA and more negative social comparisons also preferred to embody a non-human and fantasy avatar more than a realistic avatar. A heightened threat of negative social comparison when imagining exercise with a physically superior virtual companion resulted in the strongest preference to embody a fantasy avatar (Study 3). The results suggest that individuals who place high importance on self-presentation and have low belief in their capacity to project an image of competence to others, are more likely to prefer exercise contexts that minimise physique- and fitness-related evaluation. Moreover, VR may afford a less psychosocially threatening context for individuals who feel self-conscious or comparatively inferior to others during exercise.

Compulsive exercise and its relationship with mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in recreational exercisers and athletes.

Better understanding of compulsive exercise is needed in sports medicine. Whilst compulsive exercise may impact mental health, the limited research exploring the relationship between compulsive exercise and psychosocial outcomes is equivocal. The majority of studies have examined eating disorder populations where the eating disorder pathology might account for distress. This study explores relationships between compulsive exercise and mental health. Cross-sectional observational study. Australian recreational exercisers and athletes (N = 1157; Mage 36.4, standard deviation = 12.9, 77 % female) recruited through sporting organisations, clubs, and gyms, completed measures of compulsive exercise, depression, anxiety, stress, life satisfaction, social physique anxiety, and self-esteem. Regression analyses examined relationships between dimensions of compulsive exercise and wellbeing. After adjustment for eating disorder symptoms and sporting level, compulsive exercise was associated with increased risk of clinically-significant anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms. Compulsive exercise was also associated with lower life satisfaction and self-esteem, and higher social physique anxiety. Notably, different dimensions of compulsive exercise had varying relationships with outcomes, and avoidance and rule-driven behaviour and lack of exercise enjoyment were associated with poorer mental health and wellbeing. Results suggest that compulsive exercise is uniquely associated with a range of psychosocial and mental health outcomes. Results support the need to improve identification and treatment of compulsive exercise in sport and exercise settings. Results highlight that mental health intervention is an important component of treatment, and treatments targeting symptoms related to avoidance and rule-driven behaviour, and anhedonia may be valuable treatment components for those with compulsive exercise.

Factors Associated with Excess Skin After Bariatric Surgery: a Mixed-Method Study.

After metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), many patients have excess skin (ES), which can cause inconveniences. Identifying factors related to ES quantity and inconveniences is crucial to inform interventions. The aim of this study was to identify sociodemographic, physical, psychosocial, and behavioral factors associated with ES quantity and inconveniences. A mixed-method study with a sequential explanatory design was conducted with 124 adults (92% women, Mage 46.5 ± 9.9years, Mtime post-MBS 34.2 ± 27.6months). During phase I, ES quantity (arms, abdomen, thighs) and inconveniences and sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical, and behavioral outcomes were assessed. In phase II, 7 focus groups were performed with 37 participants from phase I. A triangulation protocol was completed to identify convergences, complementarities, and dissonances from quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data indicate only ES quantity on arms was associated with ES inconveniences on arms (r = .36, p < .01). Total ES quantity was associated with maximal body mass index (BMI) reached pre-MBS (r = .48, p < .05) and current BMI (r = .35, p < .05). Greater ES inconvenience was associated with higher social physique anxiety and age (R2 = .50, p < .01). Qualitative data were summarized into 4 themes: psychosocial experiences living with ES, physical ailments due to ES, essential support and unmet needs, and beliefs of ES quantity causes. Measured ES quantity is related to higher BMI, but not reported inconveniences. Greater self-reported ES quantity and inconveniences were associated with body image concerns.

An investigation of relationships between body compassion, social physique anxiety and physical appearance perfectionism in young people from Iran

BackgroundPrevious studies have shown that physical appearance perfectionism could play an important role in social physique anxiety; however, the moderating role of body compassion has not been studied. The current study aims to explore the moderating role of body compassion in the relationship between physical appearance perfectionism and social physique anxiety in undergraduate students.MethodsA sample of 418 undergraduates (n = 418; 217 female and 201 males) from three universities in Tehran, Iran completed online questionnaires measuring physical appearance perfectionism, body compassion and social physique anxiety.ResultsThe results of structural equation modeling showed that physical appearance perfectionism (β = 0.68, p < 0.001) positively predicted the social physique anxiety and body compassion negatively predicted (β = − .56, p < 0.001) the social physique anxiety in undergraduate students. A multi-group analysis showed that body compassion acted as a moderator between physical appearance perfectionism and social physique anxiety.ConclusionsThe results suggested that individuals with greater levels of physical appearance perfectionism are more likely to experience social physique anxiety. Also, the results suggested that individuals who were at a high level of the body-compassion group experienced lower levels of social physical anxiety if they also had high levels of physical appearance perfectionism. Therefore, body-compassion acted as a protective role in the relationship between physical appearance perfectionism and social physique anxiety.

Validation of the Greek Version of Social Appearance Anxiety Scale in Adolescents and Young Adults.

Many people are worried about their social appearance. The fear of negative evaluation and judgment regarding one's look in social circumstances is referred to as social appearance anxiety. Social appearance anxiety belongs to social anxiety. The aim of the present study was to validate the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS) in the Greek language and to examine its psychometric properties. An online survey was conducted in a Greek population sample of adolescents and young adults aged 18 to 35 years. The survey instruments included the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale, the Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS), 2 subscales of Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire Appearance Scale (MBSRQ), the Appearance Schemas Inventory-Revised Scale (ASI-R) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS). A total of 429 respondents participated in this research. The statistical analysis showed that the Greek version of the SAAS has good psychometric properties. The internal consistency of questions within the SAAS was 0.942. Positive correlations were found between SAAS and SPAS, the overweight preoccupation subscale of MBSRQ, the ASI-R and the DASS, while negative correlations were observed between SAAS and the appearance evaluation subscale of MBSRQ and age. The results of this study suggest that the Greek version of SAAS can be used as a reliable and valid instrument in the Greek population.

Examination of the social physical anxiety levels of adult individuals going to the gym (for Diyarbakir Province)

The aim of this study is to examine the social physical anxiety levels of adults who go to the gym. As the research was designed, it consists of adult individuals who go to the gym in Diyarbakir. A total of 242 adults, 98 females and 144 males, go to the gym. Social physical anxiety scale developed by Hart et al. (1989) and adapted to Turkish culture by Mülazımoğlu-Ballı and Asçı (2006) was used. In addition, the personal information of athletes was gathered through the "Personal Information Form" created by some researchers. In the analysis process of the data taken in this research, descriptive statistical methods, t-test for independent samples and one-way analysis of variance methods were used in this study, in accordance with the research design according to whether they show a normal distribution or not, by examining the data in the analysis process. The analyzes were made in the SPSS.22 package program and the relevance level was determined as p &lt; 0.05 in the study. As a result of this study, in terms of the age variable, between the individuals between the ages of 18 and 21 and those aged 26 and over, in favor of the individuals between the ages of 18 to 21, the individuals between the ages of 22 and 25, and those aged 26 and over, in favor of the individuals between the ages of 22 and 25. It was concluded that the single participants had a higher level of social physical anxiety than the married participants, and the participants with a lower level of education had a higher level of social physical anxiety.

A Comparison Between Sports Motivation and Social Physique Anxiety between Blind and Visually Impaired Elite Athletes in Individual and Team Sports

A Comparison Between Sports Motivation and Social Physique Anxiety between Blind and Visually Impaired Elite Athletes in Individual and Team Sports

Body Image, Social Physique Anxiety Levels and Self-Esteem among Adults Participating in Physical Activity Programs.

(1) Background: individuals may benefit from being involved in physical and athletic activities in order to improve their body appearance and promote their physical and mental health. This study aimed to investigate body image, body mass index (BMI) characteristics, social physique anxiety, self-esteem and possible correlations between the above factors. (2) Methods: 245 adults engaged in training programs in gyms, as well as in track and field, football and basketball athletic activities completed (a) a sociodemographic questionnaire which recorded their BMI values and utilized the (b) Body-Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults, (c) the Social Physique Anxiety Scale and (d) the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. (3) Results: Females and individuals with higher BMI reported statistically significant lower body-esteem and greater social physique anxiety levels compared to males and individuals with lower BMI, respectively (p < 0.05). A total of 25.3% of our participants were labeled as "overweight", while 20.4% had been overweight in the past. Significant differences were reported between body-esteem and social physique anxiety levels (p < 0.001); age (p = 0.001); BMI value (p < 0.001) and never having a problem with body weight (p = 0.008). Additionally, individuals with lower body-esteem and greater social physique anxiety levels presented lower global self-esteem (p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: individuals' engagement in physical activity promotes physical as well as mental well-being, contributing to an improved quality of life, which may be the most important issue for health care professionals.

Exploring the Nexus of Body Image Satisfaction, Social Physique Anxiety, and Happiness in Young Adults: An Interdisciplinary Inquiry

The main objective of the study was to explore the relationship between body image satisfaction, social physique anxiety, and the happiness of young adults. The study also assessed whether the association of body image satisfaction predicts social physique anxiety and happiness in young adults. Finally, gender differences in these variables were also explored. A sample of 250 young adults (men = 83, women = 167) was recruited from the race-course park, gyms, and exercise clubs in Lahore City by using a purposive sampling technique. Results showed that body image satisfaction has a positive relationship with social physique anxiety (p &lt; .01), and a negative relationship with happiness in young adults. Regression analysis shows that social physique anxiety negatively and significantly predicts body image satisfaction and happiness in men and women. Certain demographic variables such as age, gender, monthly income, joint family system, and type of food appeared as significant predictors of body image satisfaction, social physique anxiety, and happiness in both men and women. An independent samples t-test was carried out to investigate gender differences in these variables. Implications for research, counseling, and clinical practice of these findings have been discussed.

Unexcused absence from physical education in elementary school. On the role of autonomous motivation and body image factors

Physical education (PE) is an essential school subject due to its potential to promote well-being and health in all children. Yet, PE stands out among other subjects in terms of truancy. This study is one of the first to examine if unexcused absence from PE is associated with early adolescents' body image and autonomous motivation towards PE. A total of 526 Swedish 6th graders (Mage = 12.28, SD = 0.31) reported the frequency of unexcused absence from PE and answered questions about aesthetic and functional body image, social physique anxiety, and autonomous motivation. Findings showed that unexcused absence from PE was associated with less autonomous motivation and higher social physique anxiety. Participants who had never been absent reported higher functional body image investment and satisfaction. Analyses showed that whereas the aesthetic aspects of body image were associated with decreased autonomous motivation toward PE, functional aspects predicted higher autonomous motivation. The study sheds novel light on the links between absence from PE, body image, and autonomous motivation. As absence may have real-life practical effects for school achievement, health, and well-being, the findings demonstrate the importance of mitigating social physique anxiety and promoting an inclusive and body positive PE context early on.

Effects of Pubertal Timing and Pubertal Tempo on Social Physique Anxiety, Self-determined Motivation, and Exercise in Early Adolescent Girls

PurposeResearch has shown that there is a decrease in physical activity levels during early adolescence, especially for girls. Previous studies have shown that the social physique anxiety (SPA) may be a controlling factor influencing exercise motivation and engagement in this behavior; however, the potential role that puberty plays in this decrease has not been considered until now. The objective of the present study was to examine the impact of pubertal timing and pubertal tempo on SPA and exercise motivation and behavior. MethodsData from 328 early adolescent girls, aged between 9 and 12 at the time of joining the study, were collected in 3 waves over a 2-year period. Using structural equation modeling techniques, different 3-time-point growth models were estimated to examine if earlier maturing and compressed maturing in girls had differential effects on SPA and exercise motivation and behavior. ResultsThe results from growth analyses suggest that early maturing (according to all the pubertal indicators considered, except menstruation) tends to translate into (1) an increase in SPA levels and (2) a decrease in exercise - in the latter case, by reducing self-determined motivation. However, no differential effects from any of the pubertal indicators were found for compressed maturing in girls. DiscussionThese results highlight the need for increased efforts toward developing programs aimed at helping early maturing girls to cope with the challenges of puberty with a particular focus on SPA experiences and exercise motivation and behavior.

My Exposed Body: Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Social Physique Anxiety Scale-7 among Women.

Social Physique Anxiety (SPA) is the anxiety resulting from the prospect or presence of the interpersonal evaluation of one's physique. It is a construct related to body image and body esteem. The Social Physique Anxiety Scale-7 (SPAS-7) is a self-report scale aimed at measuring the degree of anxiety that people experience when others evaluate their physique. This study aimed to investigate the factor structure (through Confirmatory Factor Analysis followed by multi-group confirmatory factorial analyses), reliability, and convergent validity of an Italian version of the SPAS-7 among a sample of women (N = 520; mean age = 33.5, SD = 10.5). Confirmatory Factor Analysis attested the unidimensional factorial structure of the SPAS-7, which achieved full invariance across age groups. The strength of the inter-relationships between the SPAS-7 and measures of negative (i.e., body dissatisfaction) and positive body image (i.e., body appreciation and body compassion) provided evidence of good convergent validity. The Cronbach's alpha was very good. According to our results, the Italian version of the SPAS-7 could be a valid and agile instrument for assessing self-presentational concerns associated with body image among Italian-speaking women across age.

“What If Others Think I Look Like…” The Moderating Role of Social Physique Anxiety and Sex in the Relationship between Physical Activity and Life Satisfaction in Swiss Adolescents

Physical activity has been shown to have a positive effect on life satisfaction in adolescents. Despite these benefits, physical activity levels constantly drop during adolescence, suggesting potential interfering factors in this link. Since worries about physical appearance are an important issue at this age, this study aims to examine the relationship between physical activity and life satisfaction in adolescents and explores possible moderating effects of social physique anxiety and sex. We used data from a longitudinal study with N = 864 vocational students (mean age = 17.87 years, range: 16-25, 43% female) from Switzerland. To test our hypotheses, we used multiple hierarchical regression analyses as well as simple slope analyses. We did not find a significant direct effect of physical activity on life satisfaction. However, we found a significant two-way interaction between physical activity and social physique anxiety. An additional significant three-way interaction occurred, indicating that a positive effect of physical activity on life satisfaction holds only for female adolescents with low social physique anxiety levels. This study highlights the importance of developing a healthy relationship with one's body to fully benefit from physical activity, especially for female adolescents. Taken together, these results reveal important considerations for physical activity educators.

Testing Measurement Invariance of the 7-item Social Physique Anxiety Scale

ABSTRACT Social physique anxiety is commonly examined in exercise science to understand individuals’ physical activity motivation and behavior. Although a 12-item and 9-item version of the Social Physique Anxiety Scale exists, a 7-item version has become a popular tool to measure this construct despite the need to further examine its measurement properties. The current study examined the factor structure of the 7-item scale and measurement invariance across age, gender, body mass index, typical exercise mode, and education level. Similar to past work, confirmatory factor analysis model modifications were needed to achieve adequate fit in our large sample of physically active men and women (N = 1009; M age = 28.6 ± 10.6 years). Multi-group latent analysis revealed measurement invariance only for the education level grouping variable. Researchers should examine and report the measurement model of the 7-item scale along with measurement invariance before proceeding with main analyses.

The frustration of novelty and basic psychological needs as predictors of maladaptive outcomes in physical education

ABSTRACT Background The need for novelty has been recently proposed as a candidate need within basic psychological needs theory (BPNT). In physical education (PE), research has shown that meeting students’ need for novelty is often positively associated with enhanced (and negatively associated with impaired) pupils’ well-being. Frustrating students’ novelty has also been negatively related to achieving multiple positive outcomes in PE. However, no research has explored whether frustration of novelty is positively associated with maladaptive consequences for pupils in this educational context, which is a necessary criterion to be included within BPNT. Purpose In this correlational study, we aimed to determine whether frustration of novelty was associated with up to 10 maladaptive outcomes in a similar way as the frustration of the three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). The maladaptive outcomes analyzed were amotivation, boredom, negative affect, entity beliefs, fear of failure, worry, concentration disruption, somatic and social physique anxiety, and oppositional defiance. Research design Cross-sectional study. Methods A total of 533 students (M age = 14.47, SD = 1.34; 56.66% female) from eight secondary schools completed online questionnaires assessing their basic psychological needs frustration, novelty frustration and diverse maladaptive outcomes in PE. Pearson's correlations and hierarchical regression analyses controlling by sex, age, and race, were calculated to test the associations among these variables. Findings The correlation coefficients for novelty frustration were like those found for the three basic psychological needs concerning maladaptive outcomes in PE students. Particularly, hierarchical regression analyses showed that frustrating novelty in PE predicted amotivation (β = .11, p = .039), boredom (β = .23, p < .001), entity beliefs (β = .12, p = .039), and concentration disruption (β = .12, p = .049). Conclusions Results showed that novelty frustration was positively related to experiencing some negative consequences in PE, which is an important criterion within BPNT. Future training programs aimed at promoting optimal (and preventing detrimental) motivational styles in PE teachers could use these results to optimize students’ PE experiences.

Factor structure and psychometric properties of a multicultural Spanish-language version of the Eating Disorder-15 in a nonclinical sample of Chilean women.

The Eating Disorder-15 (ED-15) is a brief measure developed for the routine assessment of eating disorder (EDs), despite its use in research settings having increased over the last few years. To assess the psychometric properties of the ED-15 in a nonclinical sample of Chilean women. A multicultural Spanish-language version was developed through combined translation techniques. University female students (N=380) (Mage 22.32, SD=2.48) were recruited through social media. After providing their informed consent, participants completed a battery of questionnaires online. A bi-factor model replicating the bi-factor structure and providing support for the general factor showed the best fit to the data. Moderate-to-strong correlations with measures of EDs, physical comparison, body appreciation, social physique anxiety, and depressive symptoms are presented as evidence of concurrent and convergent validity. Items analyses revealed strong correlations between manifest variables, their correspondent latent variable and the general factor (rs =.60 to .89, ps < .001). Additionally, current findings provide support for the internal consistency of the scale (Cronbach's alpha and Omega values were ≥ .80) and test-retest reliability (ICCs=.84 to .89, ps < .001). Like previous findings, the current study provides validity to the original bi-factor structure of the ED-15 and additional validity to a general factor. The availability of this multicultural Spanish-language version would provide session-by-session assessment, providing crucial information throughout treatment. Also, the availability of the current measure would contribute to further research efforts in a yet understudied population such as Hispanic women. The Eating Disorder-15 (ED-15) is a promising measure meant to assess session-by-session change for clinical and research purposes. The availability of a Multicultural Spanish language version of the ED-15 allows for routine clinical assessment and represents a contribution for research efforts in a yet understudied populations such as Hispanic women.

Relationship between Attention to Body Shape, Social Physique Anxiety, and Personal Characteristics of Brazilians: A Structural Equation Model.

People can develop eating disorders due to excessive body image concerns. The primary objective of this study was to examine the relationship between attention to body shape, social physique anxiety, and personal characteristics in a sample of Brazilians. The secondary objective was to evaluate the correlation of the constructs with the participants' body composition. First, 1795 individuals (70% female; Mage = 25.5 ± 6.6 years) completed the Attention to Body Shape Scale, the Social Physique Anxiety Scale, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Then, 286 participants (58% female; Mage = 25.3 ± 5.7 years) underwent a bioimpedance exam to identify body composition. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the relationship between the variables. The greater the attention to body shape, the greater the expectations of negative physical evaluation and the less comfort with physical presentation. Younger age, female gender, consumption of supplements/substances for body change, restrictive diets, physical inactivity, poor self-assessment of food quality, and overweight/obesity were related to negative body concerns. An expectation of negative physical evaluation was positively correlated with body fat and negatively with muscle mass. Comfort with physical presentation was negatively correlated with fat and positively with muscle. These results can support preventive strategies aimed at reducing eating disorders resulting from body image concerns.