Physical and psychological correlates of self and body compassion in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

This international cross-sectional study examined the level and potential correlates of self and body compassion in women ( n = 227) with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Participants completed an online survey examining quality of life, psychological health, body image and self and body compassion. Low levels of self and body compassion were found, with depression and body image concern identified as negative correlates of self and body compassion. Physical health was identified as a positive correlate of body compassion. The findings identify the important relationship between body image, psychological health and self and body compassion in women with PCOS.

The Power of Words: Appearance Comments from One’s Partner Can Affect Men’s Body Image and Women’s Couple Relationship

Background: The purpose of the present study was to examine, through an experimental vignette design, the effects of appearance-related comments from one’s partner on body image and the perceived quality of one’s relationship. Body image was considered both in negative (body dissatisfaction) and positive (body compassion) terms. Methods: Appearance-related commentary from one’s partner was manipulated through a vignette describing the purchase of a swimsuit. The participants (n = 211) were women and men who were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental conditions (positive comment, negative comment, no comment). Results: A series of ANOVAs showed different findings for women and men. Being criticized for body weight and shape caused an increase in body dissatisfaction and a decrease in body compassion in men but not in women. Regarding couple satisfaction, women who imagined receiving a compliment about their body perceived being more accepted by their partner and were less afraid of being abandoned or rejected. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of appearance-based comments from one’s partner on men’s body image and on women’s perception of their couple relationship. Therefore, appearance comments might be addressed by interventions aimed at enhancing positive body image, reducing body dissatisfaction, and fostering couple relationships, carefully considering sex differences.

Body Compassion Scale

Background: In recent years, body image research has focused on the aspects of positive body image ( Smolak & Cash, 2011 ). This represents an important change in this area from a primary focus on negative body image to a comprehensive exploration of the body image concept. Aims: Validation of measures to help understand the positive and healthy characteristics of body image is therefore particularly important. The Body Compassion Scale (BCS; Altman, Linfield, et al., 2017 ) is a self-report scale aimed at measuring how compassionate one feels toward one’s own body. This study is a validation of BCS to confirm its factor structure and to assess its reliability and validity. Method: The 23-item scale was translated into Italian and presented to a sample of 695 Italian women. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed to examine the factor structure of the Italian version of the BCS. Results: Results were largely comparable to those obtained for the original English version of the BCS. The three-factor structure was largely replicated and expected associations with body dissatisfaction, psychological inflexibility, and psychological well-being were found. Limitations: BCS reliability was assessed only in terms of internal consistency; a longitudinal research design could be useful to assess the test-retest reliability. It would also be important for future research to study body compassion in different populations. Conclusion: This scale could be a useful measure for structured psychological interventions aimed at promoting a positive body image, but also in empirical research to obtain information on how individuals relate to their bodies.

Vietnamese High School Students’ Perception of Body Compassion

ABSTRACT Body compassion is primarily influenced by both the multifaceted architecture of body image and self-compassion. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the level of perception of body compassion among Vietnamese students at high school. A group of 396 Vietnamese high school students (121 males and 275 females) participated in a survey. They finished the body compassion scale, which included: Defuse, Common Humanity, Acceptance. The results found that regarding the body compassion towards research scores, the body compassion of females was found to have higher than males. Moreover, body compassion grade 11 had higher scores than grade 10 and grade 12. High school students who had gone through the research showed that Grade 12 would be interested in the Acceptance subscale. In contrast, grades 10 and 11 would be interested in defusion, and common humanity.

Impact of Acceptance and Body Compassion in Endometrial Cancer

Objective: This study explored the predictive role of body-related components, such as body compassion and body mass index, and components of the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) model, such as mindfulness and experiential avoidance, on the experience of pain and quality of life quality of life in endometrial cancer survivors.Methods: Surveys were sent to members of a national online support group for endometrial cancer patients who had completed treatment. The study included 82 total participants.Results: ACT components and body-related components, as a set, predicted pain interference and quality of life but not pain severity. Experiential avoidance was determined to be an independent predictor of quality of life. Negative affect, used as a covariate, independently predicted unique variance in pain severity, pain interference, and quality of life. Age was an independent predictor of pain interference and quality of life. Lastly, obese endometrial cancer survivors endorsing higher experiential avoidance, lower mindfulness, and lower body compassion compared to non-obese endometrial cancer survivors.Conclusions: Body-related and ACT components, taken together, may be predictive of pain interference and quality of life, while experiential avoidance may contribute uniquely to quality of life, rendering it a key target of future intervention for endometrial cancer survivors post-treatment.