Alessandra Pokrajac-Bulian

The Attractive Female Body Weight and Female Body Dissatisfaction in 26 Countries Across 10 World Regions: Results of the International Body Project I

This study reports results from the first International Body Project (IBP-I), which surveyed 7,434 individuals in 10 major world regions about body weight ideals and body dissatisfaction. Participants completed the female Contour Drawing Figure Rating Scale (CDFRS) and self-reported their exposure to Western and local media. Results indicated there were significant cross-regional differences in the ideal female figure and body dissatisfaction, but effect sizes were small across high-socioeconomic-status (SES) sites. Within cultures, heavier bodies were preferred in low-SES sites compared to high-SES sites in Malaysia and South Africa (ds = 1.94-2.49) but not in Austria. Participant age, body mass index (BMI), and Western media exposure predicted body weight ideals. BMI and Western media exposure predicted body dissatisfaction among women. Our results show that body dissatisfaction and desire for thinness is commonplace in high-SES settings across world regions, highlighting the need for international attention to this problem.

Thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction and symptoms of eating disorders in Croatian adolescent girls

The aim of this investigation was to study the relationship between unhealthy eating habits and behaviors, perception and acceptance of societal standards regarding thinness, body dissatisfaction, and family and peer pressure to be thin. One hundred and twentythree high school girls from Rijeka (Croatia) were surveyed using Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ), Body Esteem Questionnaire for Adolescents and Adults (BES), and Scale of perceived pressure to be thin from family and peers. The results of path analyses showed that social pressure from family and peers, experience of weight-related teasing and criticism by family members, contributed to development of eating disturbance. The acceptance of social standards related to appearance, contributed to onset of disturbed eating habits. Weight satisfaction alone influences the development of some eating disorder symptoms, but it is also a mediator of higher body mass index (BMI) and internalization of societal appearance standards. Girls with higher BMI, who accepted societal standards of thin-ideal, perceived major social pressure to be thin through direct and persuasive comments designed to establish the importance of dieting, and probably develop eating disturbed habits, or some symptoms of anorexia (AN) or bulimia nervosa (BN).

Psychometric properties of the Eating Attitudes Test and Children’ s Eating Attitudes Test in Croatia

The factor structure of the children’s version of the Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT) and Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) were examined in Croatian girls of different ages. A self-report survey was given to 225 girls (Grades 5 to 8), 525 high school girls (Grades 9 to 12), and 646 female university students. Factor analysis revealed the existence of four factors for ChEAT, and three interpretable factors for EAT-26. Internal consistency of both instruments was satisfactory. 10.3% of school girls scored 20 or higher on ChEAT, when 7.6% of high school girls and 11.3% of university students had elevated EAT-26 scores. The ChEAT and EAT-26 were useful for screening large non-clinical groups and measuring disturbed eating behaviours. Those with elevated ChEAT and EAT-26 scores were more likely than those with lower scores to be engaged in extreme weight control methods (e.g. vomiting, binging).

Nine, seven, five, or three : How many figures do we need for assessing body image?

320 Croatian female students (M = 20.4 yr.) were recruited to examine the validity and reliability of figural scales using different numbers of stimuli (3, 5, 7, and 9) and different serial presentation (serial and nonserial order). A two-way analysis of variance (4 numbers × 2 orders of stimuli) was performed on ratings of current self-size and ideal size as dependent variables. Analysis indicated a significant main effect of number of stimuli. This, together with post hoc tests indicated that ratings were significantly different for a scale of three figures from scales of more figures, which in turn did not differ among themselves. Main effects of order of stimuli, as well as the interaction, were not significant. The results support the hypothesis that the optimal number of figures on a scale is seven plus (or minus) two.

School prevention program for eating disorders in Croatia: A controlled study with six months of follow-up

The main purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the efficacy of a schoolbased program of eating disorder prevention on a sample of young adolescents in Croatia. The program was designed to reduce dietary restraint and preoccupation with shape and weight. One hundred and thirty-nine students (69 boys and 70 girls; mean age 12.8 years) were evaluated; 75 participated in the program (experimental group) and 64 formed the control group. Outcome measures included eating disorder attitudes, dieting behavior, selfesteem, and knowledge of the topics covered by the program. Outcome measures were evaluated one week before the intervention, one week afterwards, and during a follow-up of 6 months. The program significantly reduced eating disorder attitudes and dieting behavior, and improved knowledge in the female experimental group. A significant and positive effect on eating disorders attitude and knowledge, but not on dietary habits, was noticed in the male experimental group. No significant effects were observed in the control group. The findings of this prevention program give encouraging results and should be evaluated in further studies on larger samples.

Sociocultural attitudes towards appearance and body dissatisfaction among adolescent girls in Croatia

Four hundred and seventy-one girls and young women aged 14 to 23 were surveyed regarding their awareness and internalization of the thin ideal and body dissatisfaction. Measures included the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and the Sociocultural Attitudes towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ). These young women were found to express a large degree of body dissatisfaction which was significantly related to the internalization and awareness of the thin ideal. Multiple analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied in order to determine the effects of age, awareness and internalization on body image using body mass index (BMI) as covariate. It was concluded that the girls with high scores on the internalization and awareness scales were the most dissatisfied with their bodies. The present study suggests that the awareness and adoption of the thin body ideal and high body dissatisfaction are a part of the process of globalization, which is now present in most cultures and nations.

Odor identification and cognitive abilities in Alzheimer’s disease

Research results indicate systemic odor identification deficits in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The aims of this study were: 1) to compare the ability to identify different odors and to compare cognitive status among patients with AD, patients with vascular dementia (VaD) and a comparison group of elderly persons; 2) to test the efficiency of olfactory and neuropsychological measures to classify patients and 3) to relate the odor identification ability with cognitive functioning for each group, respectively. The participants were 15 patients with AD, 11 patients with VaD and 30 non-demented elderly persons, age range 58 to 90. To assess olfactory function, we used the Scandinavian Odor-Identification Test. To assess cognitive functions, we used the Dementia Rating Scale-2, the Clock Drawing Test, the Boston Naming Test and the Category Fluency Test. The ANOVA showed that patients with AD correctly identifed significantly fewer odors presented to them compared to patients with VaD and control group. Patients with AD achieved significantly lower scores on all neuropsychological measures compared to the control group and differ in the DRS-2 total score, initiation/perseveration, constructive and naming abilities comparing to patients with VaD. Discriminant analysis showed that category fluency and olfactory identification were the best predictors of AD. Significant correlations were found between the olfactory and initiation/perseveration, memory and animal naming abilities for patients with AD. Differences among patients with AD, VaD and elderly persons exist in their abilities to identify odors. The findings suggest that olfactory functional testing in combination with memory testing are important.

EVALUATION OF A PROGRAM FOR PREVENTION OF EATING DISORDERS IN ADOLESCENTS

Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je evaluacija programa prevencije poremecaja ishrane (Dalle Grave & De Luca, 1999) na prigodnom uzorku adolescentkinja u Srbiji. Ovaj program ima za cilj povecanje znanja o poremecajima ishrane, kao i redukciju ponasanja i navika povezanih sa poremecajima ishrane. U istraživanju su ucestvovale 84 ucenice, od cega je 57 ucenica pohađalo program, a 37 ucenica su cinile kontrolnu grupu. Prosecna starost ispitanica u uzorku bila je 14.92 godina, a prosecan Indeks telesne težine (BMI) iznosio je 20.02. Primenjeni program prevencije trajao je ukupno sest nedelja i obuhvatio je sest susreta u trajanju od 90 minuta. Baterija upitnika samoprocene je zadavana grupi koja je ucestvovala u programu i kontrolnoj grupi pre implementacije programa, kao i sest meseci nakon njegovog sprovođenja. Primenjeni su sledeci instrumenti: Upitnik za procenu ponasanja i navika povezanih sa poremecajima ishrane za adolescente (ChEAT), Upitnik procene samopostovanja (SES), Upitnik za procenu ucestalosti sprovođenja dijeta kod adolescenata (ADS), kao i Test znanja o poremecajima ishrane, konstruisan za potrebe ovog istraživanja. Analiza podataka upucuje na znacajan efekat grupe, kao i efekat interakcije vremena i grupe u ispitivanom nivou znanja. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da su sest meseci nakon sprovođenja programa ispitanice koje su ucestvovale u programu pokazale znacajno visi nivo znanja o poremecajima ishrane i njihovim uzrocima u odnosu na ispitanice iz kontrolne grupe. Nisu dobijene znacajne razlike između grupa na bihejvioralnom planu. Autori zakljucuju da program namenjen prevenciji poremecaja ishrane u skoli može biti veoma koristan, jer se pokazao kao uspesan u povecanju nivoa znanja ucesnika o rizicima za pojavu poremecaja ishrane.