Kate E. Mulgrew

Form or function: Does focusing on body functionality protect women from body dissatisfaction when viewing media images?

We examined whether shifting young women’s (N =322) attention toward functionality components of media-portrayed idealized images would protect against body dissatisfaction. Image type was manipulated via images of models in either an objectified body-as-object form or active body-as-process form; viewing focus was manipulated via questions about the appearance or functionality of the models. Social comparison was examined as a moderator. Negative outcomes were most pronounced within the process-related conditions (body-as-process images or functionality viewing focus) and for women who reported greater functionality comparison. Results suggest that functionality-based depictions, reflections, and comparisons may actually produce worse outcomes than those based on appearance.

Service provision for men with eating issues in Australia: An analysis of organisations', practitioners', and men's experiences

Abstract Research was undertaken to explore issues surrounding service provision for men with eating issues in Australia. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered from key stakeholders—organisations that provide treatment (n=15), practitioners that have worked with men with eating issues (n=10), and individual men with eating issues (n=5). Four key areas were explored: rates of access to services, the expression and development of eating issues in men, factors inhibiting or facilitating the recovery process, and recommendations to improve service provision. Results highlighted the need for increased awareness about mens eating issues within society generally, but for health professionals specifically, the need for better recognition of the expression of eating issues in men, and the expansion of existing services to be more “male friendly”. It is anticipated that service providers will benefit from these findings by identifying ways to reduce barriers and encourage help-seeking behaviour in men. Future research should seek to replicate and expand these findings using a larger sample size.

Short term exposure to attractive and muscular singers in music video clips negatively affects men's body image and mood

Viewing idealized images has been shown to reduce mens body satisfaction; however no research has examined the impact of music video clips. This was the first study to examine the effects of exposure to muscular images in music clips on mens body image, mood and cognitions. Ninety men viewed 5 min of clips containing scenery, muscular or average-looking singers, and completed pre- and posttest measures of mood and body image. Appearance schema activation was also measured. Men exposed to the muscular clips showed poorer posttest levels of anger, body and muscle tone satisfaction compared to men exposed to the scenery or average clips. No evidence of schema activation was found, although potential problems with the measure are noted. These preliminary findings suggest that even short term exposure to music clips can produce negative effects on mens body image and mood.

Spirituality and attitudes towards Nature in the Pacific Islands: insights for enabling climate-change adaptation

A sample of 1226 students at the University of the South Pacific, the premier tertiary institution in the Pacific Islands, answered a range of questions intended to understand future island decision-makers’ attitudes towards Nature and concern about climate change. Questions asking about church attendance show that the vast majority of participants have spiritual values that explain their feelings of connectedness to Nature which in turn may account for high levels of pessimism about the current state of the global/Pacific environment. Concern about climate change as a future livelihood stressor in the Pacific region is ubiquitous at both societal and personal levels. While participants exhibited a degree of understanding matching objective rankings about the vulnerability of their home islands/countries, a spatial optimism bias was evident in which ‘other places’ were invariably regarded as ‘worse’. Through their views on climate change concern, respondents also favoured a psychological distancing of environmental risk in which ‘other places’ were perceived as more exposed than familiar ones. Influence from spirituality is implicated in both findings. Most interventions intended to reduce exposure to environmental risk and to enable effective and sustainable adaptation to climate change in the Pacific Islands region have failed to acknowledge influences on decisionmaking of spirituality and connectedness to Nature. Messages that stress environmental conservation and stewardship, particularly if communicated within familiar and respected religious contexts, are likely to be more successful than secular ones.

Qualitative Analysis of Factors Affecting Adherence to the Phenylketonuria Diet in Adolescents

Purpose/Objective: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inborn error of metabolism that is primarily treated with a severely restricted, low-protein diet to prevent permanent neurological damage. Despite the recognition of the importance of strict dietary adherence in the prevention of intellectual impairment in individuals with PKU, apathy and attrition from diet, especially during adolescence, remain a threat to normal development in this population. This study’s aim was to examine adolescents’ perception of factors that encourage or inhibit their dietary adherence. Design: This was a qualitative study, with the authors using thematic analysis to interpret the findings. Setting: The study was conducted as part of a Metabolic Disorders Association conference. Sample: Eight adolescents with PKU were recruited through convenience sampling. Methods: A focus group was conducted with the adolescents to gather information about factors that encourage and discourage dietary adherence. Findings: Thematic analysis revealed that the adolescents encountered problems explaining the nature and food requirements of their condition to other people. Friends, family, and wanting to maintain “normal” cognitive abilities were identified as factors that encouraged dietary adherence. Conclusion: Adolescents with PKU appear to share several barriers and incentives for maintaining the strict dietary regimen. Implications: Considering such perceptions may aid future interventions aiming to reduce diet attrition rates among adolescents.

Pacific Islanders’ understanding of climate change: Where do they source information and to what extent do they trust it?

The experience of environmental stress and attitudes towards climate change was explored for 1226 students at the University of the South Pacific, the foremost tertiary institution serving the independent nations of the Pacific. Students sourced information regarding climate change from media including television, radio, and newspapers; the community (typically via their village, church, and extended family); the University and their friends; and in addition to regional agencies such as the Pacific Community. Most students concluded that they could not believe all of the informations provided by these sources. The findings demonstrate that most students—the future elite of the region—rank global environmental change as the highest future risk. Although nearly all respondents believed that climate change was happening, more than half of respondents believed that the risk was exaggerated and only one-third believed that science would find an answer, suggesting a lack of trust in scientific sources of information. Results also showed that these attitudes varied across demographic factors such as age, region, and gender. The understanding of contemporary attitudes towards global environmental change among a cohort that is likely to include future national leaders in the Pacific Islands region presents unique opportunities for long-range planning of intervention and support strategies. Of particular note for effective intervention and support is the breadth and trustworthiness of various information sources including Pacific Island leaders.

Attention bias modification produces no changes to appearance-related bias, state or trait body dissatisfaction in nonclinical women

The potential of attention bias modification to reduce appearance-related attentional biases and female body dissatisfaction has not been investigated. Immediate and short-term effects were therefore examined across attentional biases, state and trait body dissatisfaction in a randomised controlled trial consisting of 62 female participants aged 18–35 years. The results show no changes to attentional bias across either the experimental or control condition and no significant changes in body dissatisfaction immediately post-training or at 1–2 weeks follow-up. Single-session attention bias modification protocols may therefore not be sufficient in modifying appearance-based biases and associated disordered body schemas within a nonclinical sample.

Can Disclaimer Labels or Dove Evolution Commercial Mitigate Negative Effects of Thin-Ideal Exposure?

We examined the comparative effectiveness of the Dove Evolution commercial and disclaimer labels as media literacy interventions. Women (N = 287) viewed thin-ideal images by themselves, preceded by the Dove Evolution commercial, or containing specific or generic disclaimer labels. Participants completed pre- and post-test measures of body satisfaction, post-test social comparison, and media literacy. Interventions were not effective in mitigating drops in body satisfaction, reducing social comparison, or increasing media literacy, despite women understanding their purpose. A 2-week follow-up showed no delayed effects on media literacy. None of these interventions were effective in counteracting the negative effects of media exposure in women.

The effects of priming in a cued dot-probe task on appearance-related attentional biases in women.

The dot-probe task (DPT) is a reaction time measure of attentional bias. Research using this task has found inconsistent patterns of appearance-related attentional biases in women. This study examined the effects of a novel priming variation of the DPT, which incorporated additional cues into each trial of the task, on measurement of such biases. The study also examined associations between these biases and body image, a component of eating disorder symptomatology. A convenience sample of women from the general community (N = 103) completed body image measures online and attended a laboratory session to complete one of four DPTs: (1) an appearance-cued DPT containing images of thin-ideal models between each trial; (2) neutral-cued DPT containing images of forests; (3) time-delayed DPT controlling for time in place of an image; or (4) typical DPT containing only word stimuli. Women who completed the appearance-cued DPT demonstrated a stronger attentional bias for positive, but not negative, appearance words than women who completed the other DPT versions. Furthermore, for the appearance-cued and time-delayed DPTs, this bias correlated with poorer body image across several indicators (appearance evaluation, body dissatisfaction, self-evaluative salience of appearance, and state body satisfaction). Although it was unexpected that no attentional bias for negative-appearance words was found, the attentional bias for positive-appearance words may suggest that effects were driven by the ego-threat of positive-appearance words. Further research is warranted to determine whether such biases contribute to and maintain body image disturbance and disordered eating.

Positive appearance and functionality reflections can improve body satisfaction but do not protect against idealised media exposure

We tested the effectiveness of a positive appearance or functionality reflective writing task on womens body satisfaction and whether these writing task reflections offered any protective advantage when exposed to idealised imagery. Young adult women (N=230; Mage=23years) wrote about positive elements of either their appearance or their bodys functionality, and then were exposed to images of scenery, or thin and attractive models presented in posed or active form. Direction and amount of social comparison were also examined. Women reported immediate gains in both appearance and physical functionality satisfaction regardless of reflection type. However, neither reflection was protective against decreased satisfaction after exposure to idealised images. Greater upward comparison on either appearance or physical functionality domains was related to poorer outcomes. Our reflection task has potential to shift body focus but future research could examine multiple sessions and reflections on a broader range of self-relevant domains.