The Way You Perceive Your Body Matters: Interventions Aimed to Reduce Body Dissatisfaction

ABSTRACT

Body dissatisfaction (BD) affects individuals of various ages and is prevalent in Western society. Applying the social comparison model, the current study investigated whether 20 minutes of cognitive dissonance, media literacy, and a mindful body scan could reduce BD for a sample of 78 female undergraduate students. BD was assessed using the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS). In order to determine what predictors helped to explain the variability in BAS scores, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQSF), PANAS, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation (DERS-18), Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ), Media Attitudes Questionnaire (MAQ), and the Critically Thinking about Media Messages (CTMM) questionnaires were used. BAS increased after completion of the 3 interventions and the active control condition but there were no differences in BAS from pre-manipulation and post-manipulation of the BD induction procedure. Additionally, PANAS, SATAQ, and MAQ predicted BAS from pre-BD induction to post-intervention. CTMM predicted BAS post-BD induction and post-intervention.

Below you can view comments and questions (along with responses from the researcher) that were posted during the active virtual conference.

Contact: lherc553@mtroyal.ca