Developing a Positive Body Image in Young Women by the Means of Training Technologies

1271

Abstract

The paper presents the analysis of the positive body image formation among young women, characterizes determinants of female body image and describes the results of an experimental study. The purpose of the study was to test the possibility of developing a positive body image by the means of psychological training. The study involved women aged 18—20 (N=64). The methods included questionnaires and interviews. The results show that the body image of young women was associated with unrealistic external standards, and there is a certain ambivalence to them. On the one hand, the indicators of the component of the body image which included information and evaluation are quite high in youth, but body dissatisfaction is also high and a significant part of the girls rely on external standards in assessing attractiveness. In the course of the formative experiment, it was found that the development of positive body image is promoted by personal psychological training aimed at reducing weight and body shape concerns, expanding internalized stereotypes about the body and increasing the body’s worthiness (differences in the body image components before and after training are significant at p≤0.05).

General Information

Keywords: body image, positive body image, body image dissatisfaction, youth, psychological training, girls

Journal rubric: Empirical Researches

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/cpp.2019270402

Funding. This work was supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR), Grant 17-36-00016

For citation: Belogai K.N., Morozova I.S., Kagan E.S., Gubanova M.I., Borisenko Y.V. Developing a Positive Body Image in Young Women by the Means of Training Technologies. Konsul'tativnaya psikhologiya i psikhoterapiya = Counseling Psychology and Psychotherapy, 2019. Vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 9–28. DOI: 10.17759/cpp.2019270402. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

References

 

  1. Belogai K.N., Morozova I.S. Psikhologiya telesnosti: problemy stanovleniya, napravleniya issledovanii, tekhnologii psikhologicheskoi pomoshchi: uchebnoe posobie [Psychology of corporeality: problems of formation, directions of research, technology of psychological help: CD-ROM. Kemerovo: KemGU, 2018.
  2. Belugina E.V. Otnoshenie k svoemu vneshnemu obliku v period serediny zhizni: diss. ... kand. psikhol. nauk. [Attitude to one’s appearance in middle-life. Ph. D. (Psychology) diss.]. Rostov-on-Don, 2003. 199 p.
  3. Kamenetskaya E.V., Rebeko T.A. Reprezentatsiya telesnogo Ya pri narushenii pishchevogo povedeniya [Representation of body image in eating disorders]. Eksperimental’naya psikhologiya [ Experimental Psychology], 2015. Vol. 8 (3), pp. 118—128. doi:10.17759/exppsy.2015080311 (In Russ., abstr. in Engl.).
  4. Kelina M.Yu., Marenova E.V., Meshkova T.A. Neudovletvorennost’ telom i vliyanie roditelei i sverstnikov kak faktory riska narushenii pishchevogo povedeniya sredi devushek podrostkovogo i yunosheskogo vozrasta [Body dissatisfaction and influence of parents and peers as risk factors for eating disorders among girls of adolescent and young age]. Psikhologicheskaya nauka i obrazovanie [ Psychological Science and Education], 2011, no. 5, pp. 44—51. (In Russ., abstr. in Engl.).
  5. Lafi S.G. Psikhologicheskie aspekty ozhogovoi travmy [Psychological aspects of burn injury]. Omsk: OmGMA Publ., 2014. 178 p.
  6. Levi T.S. Psikhologiya telesnosti v rakurse lichnogo razvitiya [Elektronnyi resurs]. Available at: http://telesnost.ru/omega/psihologiya/psihologiya_telesnosti_ vrakurse_lichnogo_razvitiya.htm (Accessed 4.05.19).
  7. Linde N.D. Emotsional’no-obraznaya terapiya (teoriya i praktika) [Emotional and imaginative therapy (theory and practice)]. Moscow: MosGU, 2014. 153 p.
  8. Morozova I.S., Belogai K.N., Borisenko Yu.V., et al. Regulyatsiya reproduktivnogo povedeniya i reproduktivnoe zdorov’e [Regulation of Reproductive Behavior and Reproductive Health]. Moscow: LENAND, 2015. 240 p.
  9. Amianto F., Northoff G., Abbate Daga G., et al. Is anorexia nervosa a disorder of the self? A psychological approach [Elektronnyi resurs]. Frontiers in Psychology, 2016. Vol. 7. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4906654/ (Accessed 20.03.2019). doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00849
  10. Anderson B.L., LeGrand J. Body image for women: conceptualization, assessment and a test of its importance to sexual dysfunction and medical illness. The Journal of Sex, 1991. Vol. 28, pp. 457—477. doi:10.1080/00224499109551619
  11. Anderson-Fye E.A. “Coca-cola” shape: Cultural change, body image, and eating disorders in San Andrés, Belize. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 2004. Vol. 28 (4), pp. 561—595. doi:10.1007/s11013-004-1068-4
  12. Basson R. Women’s sexual desire — disordered or misunderstood? Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 2002. Vol. 28 (3), pp. 17—28. doi:10.1080/00224499109551619
  13. Bearman S.K., Martinez E., Stice E. The skinny on body dissatisfaction: A longitudinal study of adolescent girls and boys. Journal of Youth Adolescence, 2006. Vol. 35 (2), pp. 217—229. doi:10.1007/s10964-005-9010-9
  14. Brechan I., Kvalem I.L. Relationship between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating: mediating role of self-esteem and depression. Eating Behaviors, 2015. Vol. 17, pp. 49—58. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2014.12.008
  15. Brotto L.A., Heiman J.R., Tolman D.L. Narratives of desire in mid-age women with and without arousal difficulties. The Journal of Sex Research, 2009. Vol 46 (5), pp. 387—398. doi:10.1080/00224490902792624
  16. Carey R.N., Donaghue N., Broderick P. Body image concern among Australian adolescent girls: The role of body comparisons with models and peers. Body Image, 2014. Vol. 11 (1), pp. 81—84. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2013.09.006
  17. Cooper P.J., Taylor M.J., Cooper Z., et al. The development and validation of the Body Shape Questionnaire. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 1986. Vol. 6, pp. 485—490. doi:10.1002/1098-108X(198707)6:4%3C485::AID-EAT2260060405%3E3.0.CO;2-O
  18. Dion J., Blackburn M.-E., Auclair J., et al. Development and etiology of body dissatisfaction in adolescent boys and girls. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 2015. Vol. 20 (2), pp. 151—166. doi:10.1080/02673843.2014.985320
  19. Dohnt H., Tiggemann M. The contribution of peer and media influences to the development of body satisfaction and self-esteem in young girls: A prospective study. Developmental Psychology, 2006. Vol. 42 (5), pp. 929—936. doi:10.1037/0012- 1649.42.5.929
  20. Fredrickson B.L., Roberts T.A. Objectification theory. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 1997. Vol. 21 (2), pp. 173—206. doi:10.1111/j.1471-6402.1997. tb00108.x
  21. Grabe S., Ward L.M., Hyde J.S. The role of the media in body image concerns among women: a meta-analysis of experimental and correlational studies. Psychological Bulletin, 2008. Vol. 134 (3), pp. 460—476. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.134.3.460
  22. Herbozo S., Stevens S.D., Moldovan C.P., et al. Positive comments, negative outcomes? The potential downsides of appearance-related commentary in ethnically diverse women. Body Image, 2017. Vol. 21, pp. 6—14. doi:10.1016/j. bodyim.2017.01.008
  23. Herbozo S., Thompson J.K. Development and validation of the verbal commentary on physical appearance scale: Considering both positive and negative commentary. Body Image, 2006. Vol. 3 (4), pp. 335—344. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2006.10.001
  24. Meland E., Haugland S., Breidablik H. Body image and perceived health in adolescence. Health Education Research, 2007. Vol. 22 (3), pp. 342—350. doi:10.1093/her/cyl085
  25. Murnen S.K., Don B.P. Body image and gender roles. In Cash T.F. (ed.). Encyclopedia of body image and human appearance. London: Elsevier, 2012, pp. 128—134.
  26. Neumark-Sztainer D., Butler R., Palti H. Eating disturbances among adolescent girls: Evaluation of a school-based primary prevention program. Journal of Nutritional Education, 1995. Vol. 27 (1), pp. 24—31. doi:10.1016/S0022-3182(12)80262-7
  27. O’Dea J.A. Body image and self-esteem. In Cash T.F. (ed.). Encyclopedia of body image and human appearance. London: Elsevier, 2012, pp. 141—147.
  28. Quinn-Nilas C.M.A., Benson L., Milhausen R. R., et al. The Relationship Between Body Image and Domains of Sexual Functioning Among Heterosexual Emerging Adult Women. Sexual Medicine, 2016. Vol. 4 (3), pp. e182—e189. doi:10.1016/j. esxm.2016.02.004
  29. Rauof M., Ebrahimi H., Asghari Jafarabadi M., et al. Prevalence of Eating Disorders Among Adolescents in the Northwest of Iran [Elektronnyi resurs]. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 2015. Vol. 17 (10). Available at: https://ircmj.com/en/ articles/16360.html (Accessed 17.03.19). doi:10.5812/ircmj.19331
  30. Satinsky S., Dennis B., Reece M., et al. My ‘Fat Girl Complex’: a preliminary investigation of sexual health and body image in women of size. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 2013. Vol. 15 (6), pp. 710—725. doi:10.1080/13691058.2013.783236
  31. Smith S.L., Choueti M., Prescott A., et al. Gender roles and occupations: A look at character attributes and job-related aspirations in film and television [Elektronnyi resurs]. Available at: https://seejane.org/wp-content/uploads/full-study-gender-roles-and-occupations-v2.pdf (Accessed 16.04.2019).
  32. Stewart D.A., Carter J.C., Drinkwater J., et al. Modification of eating attitudes and behavior in adolescent girls: A controlled study. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 2001. Vol. 29 (2), pp. 107—118. doi:10.1002/1098- 108X(200103)29:2%3C107::AID-EAT1000%3E3.0.CO;2-1
  33. Stice E., Shaw H., Burton E., et al. Dissonance and healthy weight eating disorder prevention programs: a randomized efficacy trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2006. Vol. 74 (2), pp. 263—275. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.74.2.26
  34. Stice E., Shaw H., Marti C.N. A Meta-Analytic review of obesity prevention programs for children and adolescents: the skinny on interventions that work. Psychological Bulletin, 2006. Vol. 132 (5), pp. 667—691. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.132.5.667
  35. Sundgot-Borgen C., Bratland-Sanda S., Engen K.M.E., et al. The Norwegian healthy body image programme: study protocol for a randomized controlled school-based intervention to promote positive body image and prevent disordered eating among Norwegian high school students [Elektronnyi resurs]. BMC Psychology, 2018. Vol. 6 (1). Available at: https://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/ s40359-018-0221-8 (Accessed 20.02.2019). doi:10.1186/s40359-018-0221-8
  36. Tylka T.L., Wood-Barcalow N.L. What is and what is not positive body image? Conceptual foundations and construct definition. Body Image, 2015. Vol. 14 (С), pp. 118—129. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2015.04.001

Information About the Authors

Ksenia N. Belogai, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Acmeology and Developmental Psychology, Kemerovo State University, Kemerovo, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7033-6584, e-mail: belogi@mail.ru

Irina S. Morozova, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, Head of the Department of Acmeology and Developmental Psychology, Director of the Institute of Education, Kemerovo State University, Kemerovo, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0862-7225, e-mail: ishmorozova@ya.ru

Elena S. Kagan, PhD in Engineering, Head of the Department of Applied Mathematics, Kemerovo State University, Kemerovo, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8470-961X, e-mail: kaganes@mail.ru

Margarita I. Gubanova, Doctor of Education, Professor, Professor of the The Department of Pedagogical Sciences, Kemerovo State University, Kemerovo, Russia, e-mail: m.gubanova32@mail.ru

Yuliya V. Borisenko, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Acmeology and Developmental Psychology, Institute of Education, Kemerovo State University, Kemerovo, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5218-2841, e-mail: evseenkova@mail.ru

Metrics

Views

Total: 1747
Previous month: 16
Current month: 8

Downloads

Total: 1271
Previous month: 15
Current month: 12