The impact of appearance-focused social comparisons on body image disturbance in the naturalistic environment: The roles of thin-ideal internalization and feminist beliefs

Body Image ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taryn A. Myers ◽  
Danielle R. Ridolfi ◽  
Janis H. Crowther ◽  
Jeffery A. Ciesla
2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen M. Conaglen ◽  
Dennis de Jong ◽  
Veronica Crawford ◽  
Marianne S. Elston ◽  
John V. Conaglen

Purpose. Excess growth hormone secretion in adults results in acromegaly, a condition in which multiple physical changes occur including bony and soft tissue overgrowth. Over time these changes can markedly alter a person’s appearance. The aim of this study was to compare body image disturbance in patients with acromegaly to those with nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFAs) and controls and assess the impact of obesity in these groups.Methods. A cross-sectional survey including quality of life, body image disturbance, anxiety and depression measures, growth hormone, and BMI measurement was carried out.Results. The groups did not differ with respect to body image disturbance. However separate analysis of obese participants demonstrated relationships between mood scales, body image disturbance, and pain issues, particularly for acromegaly patients.Conclusions. While the primary hypothesis that acromegaly might be associated with body image disturbance was not borne out, we have shown that obesity together with acromegaly and NFA can be associated with body image issues, suggesting that BMI rather than primary diagnosis might better indicate whether patients might experience body image disturbance problems.


SAGE Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824401769132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Itisha Nagar ◽  
Rukhsana Virk

Media, in its diverse forms, has become a powerful tool for construction and portrayal of the “shoulds, oughts, and musts” of a woman’s body. As a result of “thinning” of beauty ideals in the media, the real woman finds the representations of ideal woman to be increasingly unattainable. This exploratory study examined the effect of acute media images for a sample of young adult Indian woman ( N = 60). A 2 (intervention group) × 2 (time) mixed-group design was used where half the participants were presented with thin-ideal media images, whereas the other half were presented with control images. The participants were examined on body image dissatisfaction, thin-ideal internalization, and self-esteem. Results of the study indicate a significant increase in thin-ideal internalization and body dissatisfaction and a significant decrease in self-esteem scores as a result of exposure to the thin-ideal media images. The findings of the study indicate that, similar to their counterparts in Europe and North America, young urban Indian women experience body image disturbances when exposed to thin-ideal images. The findings have been examined in light of the spread of global media and homogenization of beauty standards among non-Western countries.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni Pikoos ◽  
Simone Buzwell ◽  
Gemma Sharp ◽  
Susan Rossell

The popularity of videoconferencing platforms has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, there have been concerns regarding the potential for video-calls to promote appearance dissatisfaction, as individuals are exposed to their reflection on camera for extended periods. The current study characterised current video-usage behaviours and their relationship with appearance dissatisfaction and interest in beauty procedures in the general population. An online survey was completed by 379 adults currently living in Australia. Multiple aspects of video usage were assessed, including engagement in ‘video-manipulation’ techniques to enhance appearance and the focus of visual attention while on video-calls (i.e. on self or others). The Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire was administered to determine if video-use behaviours were associated with greater body image disturbance. Over one-third of participants had identified new appearance concerns while on video. Dysmorphic concern was associated with self-focused attention, video manipulation behaviours and increasing appearance concerns. Individuals who identified new video-based appearance concerns reported greater interest in obtaining future beauty and cosmetic procedures. This is the first study to report the potential risks of video-call usage on body image and appearance dissatisfaction. Further research is needed to understand how best to mitigate these risks, as COVID-19 accelerates a virtual age of communication.


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