scholarly journals Exploring the Experiences of Gay Men with Regards to Eating, Exercise, and Mindfulness-Based Concepts

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 155798832110163
Author(s):  
Harvey Regan ◽  
Adrian Jama ◽  
Michael Mantzios ◽  
Rebecca Keyte ◽  
Helen Egan

Existing research investigating gay men’s eating behavior has focused on stereotypes and body image, rather than to understand why disordered eating is prevalent in gay men. The current study adopted a qualitative approach and employed interview methodology to explore gay men’s attitudes, feelings and experiences of their eating behavior, and the potential link to mindfulness and self-compassion. Twenty gay men aged from 21 to 51 years were interviewed using an interview schedule with open-ended questions. Three main themes emerged from the transcript data sets: “Lean to be Seen,” “Sod it ‘I’ll Have a Pizza,” and “You Can’t Sit with Us.” The first theme was developed following responses that participant’s eating behavior and exercise engagement were influenced by their perceived attractiveness by the gay community. All participants spoke of achieving or maintaining a slim or muscular body type and adopted their eating behavior or exercise regime to reach corresponding goals. The second theme relates to the lack of acceptance felt from the gay community upon not conforming to the bodily expectations set out by the community. The third theme relates to the conflicts in participants’ attitudes around how exercising and eating healthily would improve their mental well-being; but that they also would give preference to calorie dense foods to reduce stress. These reflections are observed through a context of self-kindness and self-compassion and are seen to be related to increased feelings of self-criticism and body dissatisfaction. The limitations and implication for this research and suggestions for future research are discussed.

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 368-379
Author(s):  
Nathan A. Reis ◽  
Kent C. Kowalski ◽  
Amber D. Mosewich ◽  
Leah J. Ferguson

Despite a growing emphasis on self-compassion in sport, little research has focused exclusively on men athletes. The purpose of this research was to explore the interaction of self-compassion and diverse versions of masculinity on the psychosocial well-being of men athletes. The authors sampled 172 men athletes (Mage = 22.8 yr) from a variety of sports, using descriptive methodology with self-report questionnaires. Self-compassion was related to most variables (e.g., psychological well-being, fear of negative evaluation, state self-criticism, internalized shame, reactions to a hypothetical sport-specific scenario) in hypothesized directions and predicted unique variance beyond self-esteem across most of those variables, as well as moderated relationships between masculinity and both autonomy and attitudes toward gay men. In addition, self-compassion was differentially related to inclusive and hegemonic masculinity. Our findings support self-compassion as a promising resource for men athletes to buffer emotionally difficult sport experiences.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Ana Cláudia Mesquita Garcia ◽  
Laura Soares Rodrigues Silva ◽  
Ana Cristina Gonçalves Ferreira ◽  
Vander Monteiro da Conceição ◽  
Everson Meireles ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Mindful Self-Care Scale (MSCS, 33-item) in a Brazilian hospice and palliative care context. Method This was a cross-sectional study with a sample of 336 Brazilian hospice and palliative care providers. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer — Quality of Life Group Translation Procedure protocol was used for the translation and the cultural adaptation process. Psychometric properties supporting the use of the MSCS were examined through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and correlation analysis with other instruments to assess congruence to related constructs (resilience and self-compassion). The reliability of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the MSCS was assessed using Cronbach's α and composite reliability coefficients. Results The six-factor (33-item) model showed a good fit to the data, with satisfactory reliability indices and adequate representation of the scale's internal structure. Further validity is evidenced in the significant, positive correlations found between the MSCS, and similar well-being constructs, namely the Self-Compassion and Resilience scales. Significance of results The findings reveal that the MSCS (33-item) is a valid, reliable, and culturally appropriate instrument to examine the practice of mindful self-care by hospice and palliative care providers in Brazil. More broadly, it represents a promising instrument for future research into self-care practices and well-being among Brazilian healthcare providers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 145 (9) ◽  
pp. 1095-1109
Author(s):  
Kyle Rehder ◽  
Kathryn C. Adair ◽  
J. Bryan Sexton

Context.— Problems with health care worker (HCW) well-being have become a leading concern in medicine given their severity and robust links to outcomes like medical error, mortality, and turnover. Objective.— To describe the state of the science regarding HCW well-being, including how it is measured, what outcomes it predicts, and what institutional and individual interventions appear to reduce it. Data Sources.— Peer review articles as well as multiple large data sets collected within our own research team are used to describe the nature of burnout, associations with institutional resources, and individual tools to improve well-being. Conclusions.— Rates of HCW burnout are alarmingly high, placing the health and safety of patients and HCWs at risk. To help address the urgent need to help HCWs, we summarize some of the most promising early interventions, and point toward future research that uses standardized metrics to evaluate interventions (with a focus on low-cost institutional and personal interventions).


Author(s):  
Tracy L. Tylka

This chapter reviews body appreciation, which involves holding favorable opinions of the body regardless of actual physical appearance, accepting the body despite perceived imperfections, respecting the body by attending to its needs and engaging in healthy behaviors, and protecting the body by rejecting unrealistic societal appearance ideals. The chapter first presents the measurement of this construct, the original and revised Body Appreciation Scale (the BAS and BAS-2), which yield evidence of reliability and validity in samples across different cultures. Next, the chapter reviews the research on body appreciation, documenting its adaptive links to many indices of psychological well-being and physical health, such as positive affect; life satisfaction; intuitive eating; self-compassion; physical activity (yoga, modern and belly dance); sexual and reproductive health; and physical self-care. Its role as a protective factor against media exposure is also discussed. Last, clinical considerations and directions for future research are presented.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Seth Bailis ◽  
Alanna N. Single ◽  
Nicolas J. Brais ◽  
Benjamin J. I. Schellenberg

Self-compassionate individuals respond kindly to their own mistakes. Although self-compassion is adaptive in coping with past mistakes, few studies have examined its relationship to risky decision-making in advance. In gambling, an open and understanding disposition toward possible losses could lead to either more or less risky decision-making, and the direction of this relationship could depend on the severity of individuals’ problem gambling. Across 3 laboratory studies with undergraduates, the present research tested how dispositional self-compassion relates to risky decision-making in gambling games, and whether individuals’ severity of problem gambling moderates this relationship. The results suggest that self-compassion has little relationship to gambling decisions by those with no signs of problem gambling already, and that higher self-compassion is associated with taking more gambling risks among undergraduates with low-level or more severe problem gambling. We discuss implications for future research on the complex relationship of self-compassion to risk and well-being.


Author(s):  
Philipp Röthlin

Self-compassion describes a supportive attitude towards oneself. Research outside the sport context suggests that self-compassion might be beneficial in terms of psychological processes that are helpful for athletic performance. At the same time, there are reasons to assume that athletes may fear a negative influence of SC on their self-improvement motivation. Therefore, it seemed worthwhile to clarify the role of self-compassion in the competitive sport setting by reviewing the current research. A literature search was conducted using PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, PSYNDEX, and SPORTDiscus. Eligibility criteria were peer-reviewed publication, publication in English, original research and research investigating self-compassion in competitive athletes. From 17 publications that met the inclusion criteria, we identified 19 studies, most of which were quantitative, employing a cross-sectional design. Additionally, we found only one intervention study, one experimental study and four qualitative studies using interviews. We provided an integrative narrative description of the study aims, hypotheses, methodological characteristics and study results. Based on the reviewed findings we concluded that future research should relate their research question more often to existing theoretical models and that more intervention and longitudinal studies are needed. Thus far, qualitative studies highlight the potential ambivalence of athletes towards SC. Quantitative research indicates that SC is beneficial for athletes’ well-being and their ability to deal with adversities in sports, whereas the role of self-compassion for self-improvement motivation remains unclear.


Author(s):  
Kristin Neff ◽  
Emma Seppälä

This chapter reviews the fast-growing body of research on the personal and interpersonal benefits of compassion, discussing its evolutionary roots and distinguishing it from similar feelings states such as empathy. It reviews research that examines compassion as a trait, as a type of meditation practice, as a feature of organizations, and discusses intervention programs designed to enhance compassion for others. It provides an overview of research on the psychological health benefits of self-compassion, including its role in motivation, resilience, and relationship functioning, while also distinguishing the construct from self-esteem. Training programs designed to increase self-compassion are discussed. It considers future research directions, including the role culture plays in the prevalence and expression of compassion, the developmental trajectory of compassion and how compassion might be taught to youth, and a consideration of the complex relation between compassion for self and others.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-187
Author(s):  
Matthew D. Skinta ◽  
Erin M. Fekete ◽  
Stacey L. Williams

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kieron Beard ◽  
Catrin Eames ◽  
Paul Withers
Keyword(s):  
Gay Men ◽  

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 569-569
Author(s):  
Jennifer Sublett ◽  
Toni Bisconti

Abstract Benevolence directed towards older adults can cross the line between respect and overaccommodation that undermines their physical and cognitive capabilities (Mehrotra & Wagner, 2009); however, little research has examined the subtleties of the influence of benevolent ageism on older adults’ ratings of their own functioning. Because stereotypes about older adults include the decline of mental abilities, this study examined whether their (N= 155) experiences with benevolent ageism, or overaccommodative offers of assistance and protection, influenced their own appraisals of memory abilities through their feelings of self-compassion. Older adults with fewer benevolent ageist experiences had higher rates of self-compassion, which in turn translated into better evaluations of their memory abilities. Future research should consider the potential pernicious influences that benevolent ageism has on older adults’ self-evaluations and performance, consider self-compassion as a buffer in these relationships, and test whether these relationships have downstream consequences on well-being outcomes.


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