scholarly journals Pathological Skin Picking: Phenomenology and Associations With Emotions, Self-Esteem, Body Image, and Subjective Physical Well-Being

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Gallinat ◽  
Linda Luisa Stürmlinger ◽  
Sandra Schaber ◽  
Stephanie Bauer
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
The Body ◽  
Cutoff Score ◽  
Skin Damage ◽  
Skin Picking ◽  
Negative Body Image ◽  
Peace Of Mind ◽  
Body Image Disturbances

Pathological skin picking (PSP) refers to the repetitive manipulation of the skin causing wounds, scars, emotional distress, and social impairment. Skin picking disorder was first recognized as a distinct disorder in the DSM-5 and is still understudied in terms of phenomenology, etiology, and associated consequences. However, the body-related pathology suggests that the relation to the own body might be a crucial factor in PSP. Previous studies provided first insights that affected individuals show a more negative body image and lower self-esteem than healthy individuals. The present study sought to investigate skin picking phenomenology, related emotions as well as associations with self-esteem, body image, and subjective physical well-being. The study was conducted as an open online study, and recruitment was generally targeted to individuals of full age and in addition specifically to individuals with PSP. A total of 363 individuals (82.9% female; age: M = 32.6, SD = 13.92) participated and answered various self-report measures. Nearly half of the sample exceeded the cutoff score for pathological skin picking (N = 163; 44.9%). The results suggest that boredom, bodily tension and strong negative feelings often precede PSP episodes. During the episode most individuals seem to experience a loss of control, trance and positive feelings. After the PSP episode, shame, guilt, anger and anger toward themselves are most prominent. As expected, skin picking severity was positively associated with body image disturbances and negatively with self-esteem, and subjective physical well-being. When controlling for depressive symptoms, all associations were reduced, but those with body image disturbances (r = 0.44; p < 0.001), self-esteem (r = −0.27; p < 0.001), subjective physical well-being (r = −0.22; p < 0.001), and peace of mind (r = 0.30; p < 0.01) remained significant. Moreover, greater skin damage due to skin picking was moderately associated with higher body image disturbances. The results indicate that PSP severity is associated with a negative body image and low self-esteem, and suggest that it may be warranted to consider these aspects in the development of future interventions for PSP. However, relations with body image and self-esteem should be examined in longitudinal studies investigating causal relationships between body image, self-esteem and skin picking. Moreover, PSP phenomenology and the role of specific emotions should be investigated in more detail.

scholarly journals Blossoming for Whom? Social Approval and Body Image

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenting Mu ◽  
Fan Wu
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Rejection Sensitivity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Body Image ◽  
Avoidance Behaviors ◽  
Body Acceptance ◽  
Internalization Process ◽  
Body Image Disturbances ◽  
Upward Social Comparison ◽  
Standards Of Beauty

Body image is a multidimensional construct that reflects the way we perceive and feel about our physical appearance. This inside view of our body heavily influences our self-esteem, mental health, and overall well-being. Under the influence of mass media, peers and family, individuals, especially women, may feel pressured to conform to the societal standards of beauty, engage in upward social comparison, and consequently experience negative body image. While our sociocultural surroundings plays a role in the internalization process, other intrapersonal factors, such as appearance-based rejection sensitivity and lack of self-concept clarity, may heighten the risk for some individuals. Body image disturbances can be manifested in forms of avoidance behaviors, monitoring, eating restraints, and body modification. In order to promote body acceptance, we ought to gain insights into the formation of our body image and challenge the commonly held belief on who defines beauty.

Is health behavior among university students determined by actual body shape or by body image? A European study

Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Maria Piedade Brandão ◽  
Annettte Quinto Romani ◽  
Frantitsek Sudzina ◽  
Inger Glavind Bo ◽  
Bent Egberg Mikkelsen
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Health Risk Behaviors ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
The Body ◽  
Image Perception ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
European Universities ◽  
The Future

BACKGROUND: Appropriate body image self-perceptions provide a good help to increase the feeling of personal well-being, thus having an important impact on health. Universities, having an important role in shaping of the future workers, represent an important setting to approach health issues. OBJECTIVE: This study determined to what extent different types of students in higher education (four categories of students were created: “self-secure”, “perfect”, “destructive” and “apologetic”) are likely to adopt different health risk behaviors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study in a sample of students from five European Universities in the 2016/2017 academic year was conducted. Based on the combination of body image perception and body mass index, four types of students were identified: “self-secure” (overweight students with a good self-esteem); “perfect” (underweight students with a good self-esteem); “destructive” (overweight students with a poor self-esteem); “apologetic” (underweight students with a poor self-esteem). RESULTS: The study reveals that the defined types of students differed in terms of risk behavior. When the control was included, the “self-secure” student type had a reduced likelihood of being on a diet (22.3%) and physically active (17.8%) than other students (p <  0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this paper raise concerns about the future because the body dissatisfaction of the college student could be a big impact in long term whether at collective, personally or even professionally.

Focusing on the Positive

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy L. Tylka
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Theoretical Concepts ◽  
Negative Body Image ◽  
Positive Body Image ◽  
The Core ◽  
Body Positive ◽  
Convergence And Divergence ◽  
Body Section

This volume provides a state-of-the-art, comprehensive, research-based resource that addresses the breadth of innovative theoretical concepts and related practice in positive ways of living in the body, while it also sets agendas for further expansion. This introduction first defines the core domains that represent positive ways of living in the body: positive body image and positive embodiment. Next, it provides evidence that studying these domains offers a unique perspective that extends beyond what is known about negative body image. It then explicates the points of convergence and divergence between positive body image and embodiment. It ends with an overview of the three sections of the volume: the varied constructs that represent positive ways of living in the body (Section I), environmental factors that nurture these constructs as protective factors for well-being (Section II), and interventions to cultivate positive body image and positive embodiment (Section III).

scholarly journals Body Image Issues Faced by Adolescents in India

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shefali Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
Early Age ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Negative Body Image ◽  
Body Image Disturbances ◽  
Image Building ◽  
Body Image Issues

Body image is a self-attitude towards one’s body, such as, with respect to its size, shape and aesthetics. Increasing importance is given to physical appearance in modern societies as is evident from media depictions and boom in the grooming industry. These patterns can be observed all over the country due to increasing impact of globalization and modernization in India. The influence of such changing demands can act as a strong factor in determining self beliefs of adolescents. A negative body image at an early age can over shadow the self-concept and self-esteem beliefs of an individual. In the present study, using a self report questionnaire, a total of 115 participants between the ages of 14 to 16 years were asked questions about their body image and related self beliefs. As indicated in previous researches, preoccupation with body image was observed in adolescents with many adolescents reporting negative attitudes towards self. In addition, it was seen that body image disturbances were consistent across gender. Thus, it is important for schools to recognize that they need to provide guidance to students on issues like body image and self beliefs as they can have a significant impact on mental health of adolescents. The paper concludes by suggesting some measures for schools to promote positive body image building in students as well as help enhance their understanding of self and surroundings.

scholarly journals What is the “weight” of body mass index on sexual functioning in women? A mediation model

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Di Nardo ◽  
Chiara Conti ◽  
Giulia Di Francesco ◽  
Giulia Nicolardi ◽  
Maria Teresa Guagnano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Image ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Sexual Functioning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
The Body ◽  
Sexual Life

Abstract Purpose It is well known that body mass index (BMI) affects how individuals perceive their well-being and that obese individuals tend to report poorer levels of subjective health status. The aim of this study was to compare subjects with and without FSD and to examine the direct and indirect impact of BMI on female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in overweight/obese and normal-weight women. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 186 overweight/obese and 233 normal-weight women. FSD assessed with the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was investigated in relation to body satisfaction assessed with the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT-A) and self-esteem assessed with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale (RSE). Results No difference in the prevalence of FSD was found between overweight/obese (44.4%) and normal-weight women (55.6%), even though significant between-group differences in body image were found. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) showed that BMI contribute to FSD only through the mediating role of body dissatisfaction and self-esteem. Conclusions The present results support the notion that sexual functioning is not related directly to BMI in women but to a more complex interactions of body weight, satisfaction with one’s own body image, and levels of self-esteem. Clinicians should take into account that for women having a good sexual life seems not related to body weight but to the way their body weight is perceived within the context of self-image. Level of evidence Level III, case–control analytic study.

scholarly journals Body Image Disturbances and Weight Bias After Obesity Surgery: Semantic and Visual Evaluation in a Controlled Study, Findings from the BodyTalk Project

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Meneguzzo ◽  
Simone Claire Behrens ◽  
Angela Favaro ◽  
Elena Tenconi ◽  
Vincenzo Vindigni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Obesity Surgery ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Weight Bias ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Body Perception ◽  
Visual Evaluation ◽  
Overweight People ◽  
Body Image Disturbances ◽  
Body Shapes

Abstract Purpose Body image has a significant impact on the outcome of obesity surgery. This study aims to perform a semantic evaluation of body shapes in obesity surgery patients and a group of controls. Materials and Methods Thirty-four obesity surgery (OS) subjects, stable after weight loss (average 48.03 ± 18.60 kg), and 35 overweight/obese controls (MC), were enrolled in this study. Body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, and body perception were evaluated with self-reported tests, and semantic evaluation of body shapes was performed with three specific tasks constructed with realistic human body stimuli. Results The OS showed a more positive body image compared to HC (p < 0.001), higher levels of depression (p < 0.019), and lower self-esteem (p < 0.000). OS patients and HC showed no difference in weight bias, but OS used a higher BMI than HC in the visualization of positive adjectives (p = 0.011). Both groups showed a mental underestimation of their body shapes. Conclusion OS patients are more psychologically burdened and have more difficulties in judging their bodies than overweight/obese peers. Their mental body representations seem not to be linked to their own BMI. Our findings provide helpful insight for the design of specific interventions in body image in obese and overweight people, as well as in OS.

Body Image in Anorexia Nervosa

1981 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 224-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Garner
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Body Satisfaction ◽  
Body Part ◽  
The Body ◽  
Size Perception ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Size Estimation ◽  
Psychological Disturbance ◽  
Body Image Disturbances

Despite much recent interest in the objective measurement of body image in anorexia nervosa, many questions remain regarding basic mechanisms responsible for the findings as well as their meaning in the disorder. It is unclear if “whole body” measures assess the same underlying phenomena as the “body part” method, and it is unclear if body image disturbances are etiologic or a byproduct of anorexia nervosa. The possible association between self-esteem and body satisfaction and the relationship of the latter variable to actual size estimation supports the hypothesis that size perception may be closely tied to satisfaction with non-physical aspects of self. Finally it must be determined if over estimation is a function of a general psychological disturbance or of a deficit of specific interest in this disorder. Despite these questions, the way in which anorexic patients see themselves as well as the cognitive and affective responses to this perception remains an interesting and potentially fruitful area of study with this disorder.

scholarly journals Self-Attitude and Body Image Satisfaction in Women with Alopecia at Different Stages of Chemotherapy

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-195
Author(s):  
A.G. Faustova ◽  
I.S. Vinogradova
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Self ◽  
Body Image Satisfaction ◽  
Projective Technique ◽  
Human Figure Drawing ◽  
Human Figure ◽  
Figure Drawing ◽  
Experimental Group

Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used in various oncological diseases are often accompanied by the unwanted and uncontrolled appearance defects. The presence of an acquired visible difference is a significant source of stress, which is often ignored. The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between self-attitude and body image satisfaction in women with alopecia undergoing chemotherapy for cancer of the reproductive system. The study involved 20 women (mean age 52,15 years) without alopecia who start a course of chemotherapy treatment, and 20 women (mean age 51,55 years) with alopecia provoked by 10-40 courses of chemotherapy. An empirical study was conducted at the Ryazan Regional Clinical Oncology Center. Respondents were asked to fill out the Scale for assessing the level of satisfaction with the own body (O.A. Skugarevsky), the Self-Attitude Questionnaire (S.R. Pantileev), and to perform the projective technique “Human Figure Drawing” (K. Machover, F. Goodenough). Based on the obtained empirical data, specific regression models were revealed for each sample, demonstrating the dependence of self-attitude on the self-assessment of various components of the body image. In the experimental group of patients without alopecia, an adaptive level of self-acceptance is underlied by the high self-esteem of the external appearance of the chest (p=0,028), ears (p=0,039), and hair (p=0,017). Self-attachment among respondents in this group is determined by self-esteem of the abdomen (p=0,037). In the experimental group of patients with alopecia, other components of self-attitude were the most significant. The level of self-accusation is determined by the self-esteem of the pelvic region (p=0,048), ears (p=0,043), and hair (p=0,047). The reflected Self-attitude is determined to self-esteem of the chest (p=0,029), back (p=0,032), and arms (p=0,027). The patterns revealed in each sample are confirmed by the results of the projective technique “Human Figure Drawing”. Women with cancer of the reproductive organs, both before and after chemotherapy, mainly pay attention to those components of the body image that are associated with femininity and physical attractiveness, as well as those that undergo severe changes in the process of radical treatment.

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