Ofra Walter

Effect of the Parent–Adolescent Relationship on Adolescent Boys’ Body Image and Subjective Well-Being:

Adolescent boys must cope with physical changes that hamper their ability to form a positive body image. Sociocultural messages influence the concepts of body image, personal appearance, and weight, encouraging men to develop lean and muscular bodies. The current study examined adolescent boys’ body image and its relationship to their subjective well-being (SWB) and the effect of the parent–adolescent relationship on body image and SWB. Participating in the research were 107 adolescent boys in Israel, aged 13 to 18 years. Four questionnaires were utilized: demographic, body mass index, Body Investment Scale, and Personal Well-Being Index. The findings indicate a significant, medium positive correlation between SWB and body image. After controlling for the variable of parent–adolescent relationship, the correlation weakened, indicating that the parent–adolescent relationship has no effect on adolescent boys’ SWB and body image. Body image was reported to be a predictor of SWB.

Art Intervention in Group Settings: A Course Model for Social Work Students

ABSTRACT This article presents evaluation of a course developed for training social work students in using art intervention activities in a group setting. The course components included didactic learning, experiential learning, personal and interpersonal observation, and reflection. The goal of the course was to enhance students’ skills as providers of a safe space using art intervention with diverse populations, in their future professional settings. Analysis of the qualitative evidence indicated that the combination of art intervention in a group setting empowered and accelerated interpersonal abilities of social work students and increased their self-efficacy as group facilitators.

Sensory language (SDM) to foster empathy in social work students

ABSTRACT Assessment and management of emotional situations are generally discussed in academic studies in the field of social work through verbal interventions, while the art of developing awareness to nonverbal feelings has yet to see widespread use. Sensory experience based on nonverbal communication and body language can highlight complex feelings and problems that the social worker confronts. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an intervention of sensory body language using a modified Sherborne Developmental Movement (SDM) model, in a course for social work students. The course’s multidimensional process involved cognitive and affective components of understanding and identifying thoughts, feelings, and emotional states of others. The intervention combined art activity and focusing to foster empathy among social work students in the group setting. Twenty social work students attending college in the north of Israel participated in the course, writing reflective diaries throughout the course, which were collected and analyzed. The findings suggest that sensory language and movement through the group experience enhanced social work students’ empathy and their awareness of its importance for practice. Learning to be empathic through nonverbal communication also challenged perceived barriers to empathy such as cultural and language differences.

New observations on the influence of dance on body image and development of eating disorders

Abstract Studies indicate that female dance students are more preoccupied with weight, eating habits, and body image than girls in the general population and are in greater danger of developing eating disorders. In this study, questionnaires were distributed to 90 females aged 15–30; 47 dancers or former dancers and 43 non-dancers. Consistent with prior studies, BMI had a positive and significant contribution to predicting eating disorders. Surprisingly, no statistical difference was found between the two groups with regard to body image, opinions about eating, or eating behaviors. This finding contradicts prior research and merits further examination given the popularity and health benefits of dance training.

Physical Activity Intensity Among Adolescents and Association With Parent–Adolescent Relationship and Well-Being:

Participation in physical activity (PA) provides young people significant health benefits, including improved well-being. However, large percentages of children and adolescents do not meet the recommendations for PA. Given that PA patterns are established during childhood and adolescence, and evolve within the context of the family, the current study explores the relationship between perceived parent–adolescent relationships and adolescents’ PA levels, body mass index (BMI), and subjective well-being. The study was conducted in Israel, and the sample included 233 participants (126 girls, 107 boys) aged 13 to 18 years. Participants self-reported the following measures: demographic information, BMI, the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Personal Well-Being Index, and parent–adolescent relationship. The data were analyzed using Pearson analyses, t tests, and regressions. A clear difference emerged in strenuous PA activity by sex [t(223) = 2.1, p < .01]; the average strenuous PA was greater for boys (M = 3.9, SD = 2.4) than for girls (M = 1.8, SD = .2.4). Furthermore, different predictors of strenuous PA by sex were found: for boys, parent–adolescent relationship was a significant predictor; for girls, subjective well-being was a predictor. The findings can shed light on the need for different intervention programs for adolescent boys and girls to increase their involvement in PA.