Predictors of adolescents’ response to Young Person’s Face IT: A web-based intervention to improve psychosocial adjustment to having an appearance-affecting condition (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Adolescents with a condition affecting their appearance that results in a visible difference can be at risk of psychosocial distress and impaired adjustment. Evidence for the effectiveness of existing interventions in improving psychosocial outcomes is limited and relevant treatment can be difficult to access. Young Person’s Face IT (YPF), a novel self-guided web-based intervention, has demonstrated potential in reducing social anxiety in adolescents with visible differences. However, more knowledge is needed regarding factors that contribute to variations in intervention effects in order to identify which adolescents may benefit most from YPF. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to identify predictors related to overall intervention effects following adolescents’ use of YPF. METHODS N=71 adolescents (61% girls; mean age 13.98, range 11–18 years) with a wide range of visible differences completed primary (body esteem and social anxiety symptoms) and secondary (perceived stigmatization, life disengagement, and self-rated health) outcome measures, at baseline and post-intervention. Predictor variables were demographic (age and gender), psychosocial (frequency of teasing experiences related to aspects of body and appearance, and depressive and/or anxiety symptoms), and intervention-related (time spent on YPF) factors. RESULTS Backward multiple regression revealed that higher intervention effects were predicted by gender, baseline frequency of teasing experiences, levels of depressive and/or anxiety symptoms, and time spent on YPF. However, the results were limited by low proportion of explained post-intervention variance, ranging from 1.6 to 24.1%. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that adolescent boys, adolescents who experience higher levels of psychosocial distress related to their visible difference, and adolescents that spend sufficient time on YPF, may obtain better overall intervention effects. CLINICALTRIAL NCT03165331

The Effects of Reducing Social Media Use on Body Esteem Among Transitional-Aged Youth

Introduction. Social media use (SMU) and body image concerns are highly prevalent in youth. Although several studies have shown that high SMU is crosssectionally associated with lower body esteem, experimental evidence is lacking. This pilot study experimentally evaluated the effects of reducing SMU on body esteem among transitional aged youth (TAY) with emotional distress. Methods. Thirty-eight undergraduate students presenting with elevated symptoms of anxiety/depression were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 16), where SMU was restricted to 60 minutes/day, or to the control group (n = 22), where SMU was not restricted. SMU was monitored via screen-time trackers in participants’ smartphone submitted daily during baseline (1-week) and intervention (3-week) periods. Baseline and post-intervention measurements were taken to assess appearance and weight esteem as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression as secondary outcomes. Results. A significant group × time interaction emerged indicating that the intervention participants showed a significantly greater increase in appearance esteem over the 4 weeks compared to controls. There was no significant between-group difference on change in weight esteem. A significant group × time interaction emerge on anxiety indicating that intervention participants showed a significantly greater improvement in anxiety over the study period compared to controls. There was no significant between-group difference on change in depressive symptoms. Discussion. Reducing SMU may be a feasible and effective method of improving appearance esteem and reducing anxiety in a high-risk population of TAY with emotional distress; however, more high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm findings.

Mediterranean diet, body esteem and anthropometric parameters in acrobatic teenage gymnasts / Dieta mediterránea, estima corporal y parámetros antropométricos en adolescentes practicantes de gimnasia acrobática

The objective of this study was to evaluate the adherence to Mediterranean diet (AMD) and body esteem (BE) in acrobatic gymnasts and their relationships with anthropometric parameters. Participated 48 teenage gymnasts (32 girls and 16 boys) of 12-21old-years. The AMD was analyzed through Quality Test of Diet Mediterranean in Childhood and Adolescence (KIDMED test) and the Body Esteem Scale for Children (BES-C). The waist circumference was measured, as well as the height and weight, calculating BMI and waist-height ratio (WHR). The 69% of sample showed an optimal AMD with a BMI of 18.6 kg/ m2, waist circumference of 62.1 cm and WHR of 0.4 cm without sex differences. The AMD is not associated with BE and anthropometric parameters. In general, boys and girls showed good BE. Not significant relationships were found between values of KIDMED test, anthropometric variables and BE. In general, the eating habits of the gymnast were healthy, presenting to the most optimal AMD, normal values of BMI and a good perception of their body imagen. However, although these results are encouraging, it was evident that almost a third of the participants would need to improve their diet, which points to the need to strengthen nutritional education strategies in the sport field.ResumenEl objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la adherencia a la dieta mediterránea (ADM) y la estima corporal (EC) en gimnastas acrobáticos, así como su relación con parámetros antropométricos. Participaron 48 gimnastas adolescentes (32 mujeres y 16 hombres), de 12-21 años de edad. La ADM fue evaluada a través del Índice de Calidad de la Dieta Mediterránea en la Infancia y Adolescencia (KIDMED) y la EC mediante la Escala de Estima Corporal para Niños (BES-C); además fueron medidos (talla, peso y perímetro de cintura) para calcular el índice de masa corporal (IMC) y la razón cintura-talla (RCT). El 69% de los participantes mostró alta ADM y buena EC, con IMC promedio de 18.6 kg/m2, perímetro de cintura de 62.1 cm y RCT de 0.4 cm, sin registrarse diferencias entre sexos. La ADM no se asoció con la EC o los parámetros antropométricos. En general, los hábitos alimentarios de los participantes fueron saludables, con alta o moderada ADM y satisfactoria imagen corporal. No obstante, aunque estos resultados son alentadores, fue evidente que casi un tercio de los participantes requeriría mejorar su dieta, lo que apunta a la necesidad de fortalecer las estrategias de educación nutricional en el ámbito deportivo.

Interaction of culture and grief amongst women who terminated a pregnancy in adolescence: A narrative approach

Background: Culture plays a vital role in resolving grief in African communities. However, women who terminate a pregnancy in adolescence are typically not exposed to cultural rituals that could ease their grief.Objectives: The purpose of this article is to explore the interaction of culture and grief amongst women who terminated a pregnancy in adolescence.Method: A qualitative exploratory study was undertaken using a narrative approach. Unstructured interviews were conducted to solicit narratives from 11 women who terminated a pregnancy in adolescence.Results: Data were analysed through narrative, thematic data analysis. Three themes emerged from the findings: delayed post-traumatic growth, low body esteem and an alteration in the development of maternal identity.Conclusion: The study intended to explore the interaction of culture and grief amongst women who terminated a pregnancy in adolescence. The researcher determined that women who had not honoured their culture because of the secrecy surrounding the termination of pregnancy had delayed healing and an altered self-image.

Impact of Ballroom Dance on Body-Esteem of Middle-Aged Urban Citizens

Aim: To explore the impact of ballroom dance on the body-esteem of urban middle-aged groups, and to provide references for the promotion of physical and mental health of the group. Method: Middle-aged people who meet the age standard and live in cities were selected as the experimental subjects, and the experimental group was given an 8-week ballroom dance exercise intervention. Result: After a period of ballroom dance intervention, the body-esteem and its various dimensions of the experimental group were significantly improved to varying degrees (P<0.05). Conclusion: Ballroom dance exercises have a significant promotion effect on the urban middle-aged population’s body-esteem and its various dimensional levels, and have an extremely significant promotion effect on the physical state, physical fitness and the level of physical self-worth.

Gender and Cultural Differences in the Relationships between Self-Esteem Contingency, Body Talk, and Body Esteem

This study analyzed the positive and negative body talk of male and female adolescents cross-culturally with an emphasis on the role of appearance-contingent and others’ approval-contingent self-worth. A cross-national survey in Austria, Belgium, Spain, and South Korea among 12- to 16-year-olds (982 female and 993 male) found that (1) positive body talk was positively related and negative body talk was negatively related to body esteem; (2) appearance contingency was positively related to negative body talk; (3) appearance contingency increased positive body talk among girls (except Korean girls); and (4) contingency on other’s approval increased positive body talk among boys in all four countries. Overall, gender differences were more prominent than cultural differences and positive body talk was instrumental in promoting adolescents’ body esteem.

Feel Good, Eat Better: The Role of Self-Compassion and Body Esteem in Mothers’ Healthy Eating Behaviours

Mothers’ eating behaviours are important to ensure the health and well-being of themselves and their families. Recent research has pointed to self-compassion, defined as extending kindness to oneself in times of perceived inadequacy or general suffering, as a trait associated with healthy forms of eating, such as intuitive eating, and reduced maladaptive forms of eating, such as emotional eating. However, little is known about the psychological mechanism through which self-compassion relates to healthy eating behaviours. This study examined 100 mothers’ levels of self-compassion, body esteem and eating behaviours. Structural equation modelling revealed that self-compassion was positively associated with diet quality and intuitive eating, while being negatively associated with emotional eating. Moreover, these links occurred, in part, due to higher body esteem. This points to a mechanism through which self-compassion may positively contribute to mothers’ healthy eating behaviours. The implications for eating outcomes and women’s health are discussed.