Body Image Status Research Articles

Body image: a handbook of theory, research, and clinical practice

Part I: Conceptual Foundations. Pruzinsky, Cash, Historical and Contemporary Perspectives. Jackson, A Sociocultural Perspective. Kinsbourne, The Brain and Body Awareness. Krueger, Psychodynamic Perspectives on Body Image. Cash, Cognitive-Behavioral Perspectives on Body Image. Williamson, Stewart, M. A. White, York-Crowe, An Information-Processing Perspective on Body Image. McKinley, Feminist Perspectives and Objectified Body Consciousness. Part II: Developmental Perspectives and Influences. Smolak, Body Image Development in Children. Levine, Smolak, Body Image Development in Adolescence. Whitbourne, Skultety, Adulthood and Aging. Tiggemann, Media Influences on Body Image Development. Kearney-Cooke, Familial Influences on Body Image Development. Tantleff-Dunn, Gokee, Interpersonal Influences on Body Image Development. Fallon, Ackard, Sexual Abuse and Body Image. Part III: Body Image Assessment. Gardner, Body Image Assessment of Children. Thompson, Gardner, Measuring Perceptual Body Image among Adolescents and Adults. Thompson, van den Berg, Measuring Body Image Attitudes among Adolescents and Adults. Radika, Hayslip, Projective Techniques to Assess Body Image. Cash, Assessing Body Image States. Pruzinsky, Cash, Assessing Body Image and Quality of Life in Medical Settings. Part IV: Individual and Cultural Differences. Striegel-Moore, Franko, Body Image Concerns among Girls and Women. Westmoreland-Corson, Andersen, Body Image Issues among Boys and Men. Schwartz, Brownell, Obesity and Body Image. Olivardia, Body Image and Muscularity. Davis, Body Image and Athleticism. Rumsey, Body Image and Congenital Conditions with Visible Differences. Celio, Zabinski, Wilfley, African American Body Images. Kawamura, Asian American Body Images. Altabe, O'Garo, Hispanic Body Images. Rothblum, Gay and Lesbian Body Images. Part V: Body Image Dysfunctions and Disorders. Cash, Evaluating Epidemiological Evidence. Cash, Fleming, Body Image and Social Relations. Wiederman, Body Image and Sexual Functioning. Garner, Body Image and Anorexia Nervosa. Stice, Body Image and Bulimia Nervosa. Phillips, Body Image and Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Pruzinsky, Body Image Disturbances in Psychotic Disorders. Part VI: Body Image Issues in Medical Contexts. Koo, Yeung, Body Image Issues in Dermatology. Kiyak, Reichmuth, Body Image Issues in Dental Medicine. Heinberg, Guarda, Body Image Issues in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Tovian, Body Image and Urological Disorders. Gilmour, Body Image Issues in Endocrinology. C.A. White, Body Images in Oncology. Rybarczyk, Behel, Rehabilitation Medicine and Body Image. Chapman, Body Image Issues among Individuals with HIV and AIDS. Part VII: Changing the Body: Medical, Surgical, and Other Interventions. Foster, Matz, Weight Loss and Changes in Body Image. Martin, Lichtenberger, Fitness Enhancement and Changes in Body Image. Sarwer, Cosmetic Surgery and Changes in Body Image. Rumsey, Optimizing Body Image in Disfiguring Congenital Conditions. Pruzinsky, Body Image Adaptation to Reconstructive Surgery for Acquired Disfigurement. Allen, Hollander, Psychopharmacological Treatments for Body Image Disturbances. Part VIII: Changing Body Images: Psychosocial Interventions. Krueger, Psychodynamic Approaches to Changing Body Image. Rabinor, Bilich, Experiential Approaches to Changing Body Image. Cash, Strachan, Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches to Changing Body Image. Winzelberg, Abascal, Taylor, Psychoeducational Approaches to the Prevention and Change of Negative Body Image. Levine, Smolak, Ecological and Activis

Gender similarities in response to figure-size feedback in a selected nonclinical population

In this study we examined the effect of figure-size feedback on the body image, self-esteem, and negative mood states of college men and women who were within normal body weight and did not show symptoms of eating disorders. The feedback was manipulated to represent the opinions of their classmates. Men were expected to show a positive bias in their response to the feedback, whereas women were expected to respond in accordance with the positive and negative valence of the feedback. Multivariate analysis of covariance, controlled for pretest scores, revealed nonsignificant differences between men and women. Those in the negative feedback condition reported fewer instances of negative appearance-related feedback in their past than did those in the no feedback condition and those from a more inclusive population that was the normative sample for the measure. This suggests a compensatory strategy to refute the negative feedback.

Beyond Body Image as a Trait: The Development and Validation of the Body Image States Scale

The need exists for a psychometrically sound measure of individuals' evaluative/affective body image states. In the present investigation with 174 college students, the six-item Body Image States Scale (BISS) was developed and found to be acceptably internally consistent and moderately stable. Evincing its convergent validity, the BISS was appropriately correlated with various trait measures of body image. It was sensitive to reactions in positive versus negative situational contexts. Sex differences reflected those expected from the literature. Construct validity was confirmed by an experiment on persons' differential reactivity to appearance-related information as a function of level of dysfunctional body-image investment. The BISS is a unique and much-needed measure with potential utility in both research and clinical work.

Are pre-treatment psychological characteristics influenced by pre-surgical orthodontics?

A number of investigations have looked at psychological changes occurring in association with orthognathic treatment. However, most of these studies have used a pre-surgery questionnaire as the baseline measurement. There is little data relating to the true baseline, i.e. that prior to any active treatment. Until this aspect is investigated, it is not possible to assume that pre-surgery is an acceptable baseline. This questionnaire based study aimed to assess changes in six psychological outcome measures between T1 (prior to any active treatment) and T2 (following pre-surgical orthodontics/prior to surgery). The outcome variables were: state anxiety, trait anxiety, depression, self-esteem, body image, and facial body image. Sixty-two patients (39 females and 23 males) completed both questionnaires. The results showed that intervention, in the form of orthodontic treatment, had a minimal effect on the chosen psychometric outcome variables. There was a significant reduction in satisfaction with body image amongst patients who initially reported mild to moderate dental/facial problems, whilst a moderate increase in satisfaction occurred in those patients reporting severe conditions initially. Also of note were significant increases in state anxiety amongst older patients whilst trait anxiety showed greater increases in females than males.

The Body Image of Four Women Recovered from Alcohol Abuse

Four women formerly abusing alcohol but currently abstinent for five or more years were participants in this naturalistic study. Their past and current body image status was explored through observation, interviews, and a standardized instrument. Although several studies were reviewed which related poor body image and self-esteem to substance abuse, no literature examined the association between body image and long-term recovery. It was plausible to assume that positive body image might be related to long-term recovery, especially in women, since it was among the variables found to differentiate the sexes. Data analysis showed no consistent body image patterns across the four participants, results which indicated that body image status is unlikely to be directly related to long-term recovery. This lack of relationship was particularly remarkable since the four participants had shown, from a previous analysis, similarities in occupational patterns indicative of their association with prolonged recovery.

Perceptions of Body Image and Health Status in Persons with Mitral Valve Prolapse

Twenty subjects with diagnosed Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) were interviewed regarding self-care needs. Transcripts were analyzed for evidence of perceived health state and altered body image. The majority of subjects described experiences indicating that their perceptions of body image and health state were affected by the diagnosis of MVP. Using Smith's (1981) four categories of health perceptions, most subjects were judged to perceive their health state from a combination of clinical, role-performance and adaptive perspectives.

Body-buffer zone in violent prisoners.

Comparative measurement of the body-buffer zones of eight violent and six non-violent prisoners showed the zones of the violent group to be almost four times larger. In the violent group the rear zones were larger than the front zones; in the non-violent group the front zones were larger. The large zones of the violent group may reflect a pathological body image state. The author discusses potential application of body-buffer zone measurements in the detection, treatment, and prognosis of individuals predisposed to violent behavior.