Rachel Andrew

Positive body image and young women's health: Implications for sun protection, cancer screening, weight loss and alcohol consumption behaviours

This study examined the link between positive body image and a range of health behaviours. Participants were 256 women who completed an online questionnaire measuring body appreciation, body dissatisfaction, sun protection, cancer screening, seeking medical attention, weight-loss behaviour and alcohol and tobacco consumption. Results indicated that body appreciation was positively related to sun protection, skin screening and seeking medical attention and negatively related to weight-loss behaviour. Body appreciation explained unique variance, over and above body dissatisfaction, in sun protection, skin screening and weight-loss behaviour. These results have implications for interventions to improve adherence to health behaviours.

The protective role of body appreciation against media-induced body dissatisfaction.

This study aimed to examine the protective role of positive body image against negative effects produced by viewing thin-idealised media. University women (N=68) completed trait measures of body appreciation and media protective strategies. At a subsequent session, participants viewed 11 thin-ideal advertisements. Body dissatisfaction was assessed before and after advertisement exposure, and state measures of self-objectification, appearance comparison, and media protective strategies were completed. Results indicated that body appreciation predicted less change in body dissatisfaction following exposure, such that participants with low body appreciation experienced increased body dissatisfaction, while those with high body appreciation did not. Although state appearance comparison predicted increased body dissatisfaction, neither state self-objectification nor appearance comparison accounted for body appreciations protective effect. Trait and state media protective strategies positively correlated with body appreciation, but also did not account for body appreciations protective effect. The results point to intervention targets and highlight future research directions.

Clothing choices, weight, and trait self-objectification

The present study aimed to assess the link between clothing choice and aspects of body image. Participants were 112 female undergraduate students who completed a questionnaire containing a measure of clothing functions, as well as BMI, self-classified weight, and trait self-objectification. Results indicated that BMI and self-classified weight were positively correlated with the choice of clothes for camouflage. Self-objectification was positively correlated with choice of clothes for fashion, and negatively correlated with choosing clothes for comfort. It was concluded that clothing represents an important but neglected aspect of contemporary womens management of their bodys appearance.

Predictors and Health-Related Outcomes of Positive Body Image in Adolescent Girls: A Prospective Study.

This study aimed to investigate prospective predictors and health-related outcomes of positive body image in adolescent girls. In so doing, the modified acceptance model of intuitive eating was also examined longitudinally. A sample of 298 girls aged 12 to 16 years completed a questionnaire containing measures of body appreciation, potential predictors, and a range of health outcomes, at 2 time points separated by 1 year. Longitudinal change regression models showed that perceived body acceptance by others (positively), self-objectification and social comparison (negatively), and body appreciation (positively) prospectively predicted intuitive eating 1 year later, consistent with the acceptance model of intuitive eating. Perceived body acceptance by others was the only proposed predictor to prospectively predict an increase in body appreciation over time. Time 1 body appreciation prospectively predicted a decrease in dieting, alcohol, and cigarette use, and an increase in physical activity 1 year later. In particular, girls with low body appreciation were more likely than girls with high body appreciation to take up alcohol and cigarette use between time points. The results highlight body appreciation as an important target for interventions designed to prevent or delay the uptake of alcohol and cigarette consumption among girls. More broadly, they suggest that a positive body image can confer considerable benefit for adolescent girls.

Predicting body appreciation in young women: An integrated model of positive body image.

This study examined a range of predictors, based on previous theoretical models, of positive body image in young adult women. Participants were 266 women who completed an online questionnaire measuring body appreciation, activity participation, media consumption, perceived body acceptance by others, self-compassion, and autonomy. Potential mechanisms in predicting body appreciation assessed were self-objectification, social appearance comparison, and thin-ideal internalisation. Results indicated that greater perceived body acceptance by others and self-compassion, and lower appearance media consumption, self-objectification, social comparison, and thin-ideal internalisation were related to greater body appreciation. An integrated model showed that appearance media (negatively) and non-appearance media and self-compassion (positively) were associated with lower self-objectification, social comparison, and thin-ideal internalisation, which in turn related to greater body appreciation. Additionally, perceived body acceptance by others was directly associated with body appreciation. The results contribute to an understanding of potential pathways of positive body image development, thereby highlighting possible intervention targets.

An extension of the acceptance model of intuitive eating in adolescent girls: a role for social comparison?

Intuitive eating (i.e., eating in response to internal cues) has been shown to be negatively related to disordered eating in women. The acceptance model of intuitive eating proposes that intuitive eating results from increased body appreciation, lowered self-objectification and body acceptance by others. As yet, this model has not been tested in adolescent girls; a group vulnerable to eating pathology. In addition to testing the acceptance model in adolescent girls, this study aimed to examine the role of social comparison. Participants were 400 girls aged 12 to 16 years who completed questionnaire measures of perceived body acceptance by others, social comparison, self-objectification, body appreciation and intuitive eating. In support of the model, perceived body acceptance and body appreciation correlated positively with intuitive eating, while self-objectification and social comparison correlated negatively. Structural Equation Modeling showed the extended acceptance model was an acceptable to good fit to the data. In particular, the effects of perceived body acceptance were mediated by self-objectification and social comparison. The findings replicate the acceptance model of intuitive eating in adolescent girls, but also indicate that social comparison is important in this process. Practically, the findings highlight several areas that may be targeted to foster adaptive eating patterns in girls. This abstract was presented in the Prevention & Public Health stream of the 2014 ANZAED Conference.

What police want from liquor licensing legislation: the Australian perspective

Qualitative interviews were undertaken with 53 Australian police officers with specialist expertise in liquor law enforcement to ascertain their perspectives concerning the liquor licensing legislation in Australia’s eight states and territories. Respondents generally indicated that current arrangements favoured the interests of the alcohol industry and did not sufficiently empower them to reduce alcohol-related harms. Other key themes included: ambiguity surrounding the police role in liquor licensing; difficulties in enforcing drunkenness-related offences; partnerships; strategies to enhance enforcement; data/intelligence gathering; and the separation of Ministerial responsibilities for liquor licensing and policing. Overall, police in Australia are not currently being given the tools they require to effectively reduce alcohol-related harms.

Can body appreciation protect against media-induced body dissatisfaction?

The study examined the protective role of body appreciation against body dissatisfaction (a known risk factor for disordered eating), resulting from thin-ideal exposure. We also tested potential mediating mechanisms, specifically, self-objectification and appearance comparison, and explored strategies that women may use to protect their body image. University women (N = 68) first completed measures of body appreciation and media protective strategies. During a subsequent session, participants viewed 11 thin-ideal advertisements. Pre and post advertisement exposure body dissatisfaction was measured, followed by state assessments of self-objectification, appearance comparison and media protective strategies. Results showed that body appreciation predicted change in body dissatisfaction. Specifically, participants with low body appreciation reported increased body dissatisfaction after exposure, whereas participants with high body appreciation did not experience an increase. Neither state self-objectification nor state appearance comparison accounted for body appreciations protective effect against thin-ideal induced body dissatisfaction. Trait and state media protective strategies were also found to be positively related with body appreciation. The results indicate that body appreciation is able to some extent shield young women against body dissatisfaction resulting from acute exposure to thin-ideal media. The findings have practical implications for interventions aimed at body dissatisfaction and disordered eating.

Self-compassion and positive body image: a role for social comparison?

There is continued interest in mindfulness-based therapies for eating disorders, with self-compassion identified as a key psychological construct. Self-compassion has been shown to be associated with positive body image. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of social comparison as a possible mediator of the relationship between self-compassion and both positive body image and body dissatisfaction. Participants were 266 female university students aged 18 to 29 years who completed an online survey containing measures of positive body image, body dissatisfaction, self-compassion and social comparison. Self-compassion was found to be positively related to positive body image and negatively related to body dissatisfaction. Self-compassion was found to be negatively related to social comparison. Importantly, regression analyses showed that, as predicted, social comparison at least partially mediated the relationships between self-compassion and positive body image and body dissatisfaction. The findings add to our theoretical understanding of the precursors of positive body image and provide preliminary evidence for specifically targeting self-compassion and social comparison within prevention programs and mindfulness-based therapies for eating disorders. This abstract was presented in the Body Image stream of the 2013 ANZAED Conference.