The Effectiveness of a Body Image Intervention on Self-Acceptance and Disordered Eating Attitudes
Keywords:
Body Image Intervention, Self-Acceptance, Disordered Eating AttitudesAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured body image intervention in enhancing self-acceptance and reducing disordered eating attitudes among young women in India.
Methods and Materials: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 30 participants randomly assigned into an intervention group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The intervention comprised eight 90-minute sessions incorporating cognitive-behavioral strategies, media literacy, self-compassion exercises, and body functionality appreciation. Participants were assessed at three time points—pre-test, post-test, and five-month follow-up—using the Self-Acceptance Scale and the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons via SPSS-27 to determine group differences over time.
Findings: Results indicated a significant improvement in self-acceptance in the intervention group, with mean scores increasing from 41.27 (SD = 5.33) at pre-test to 50.93 (SD = 4.78) at post-test, and remaining stable at follow-up. Similarly, disordered eating attitudes showed significant reductions in the intervention group, decreasing from a mean of 26.87 (SD = 4.62) at pre-test to 19.47 (SD = 3.79) at post-test, with maintenance of these gains at follow-up. The ANOVA revealed significant main effects for time, group, and their interaction for both dependent variables (p < .001), with Bonferroni post-hoc tests confirming significant differences between pre-test and subsequent assessments.
Conclusion: The findings support the efficacy of the body image intervention in improving self-acceptance and reducing disordered eating attitudes among young women. The sustained improvements observed at five-month follow-up underscore the intervention’s potential as a viable preventive strategy against the development of eating disorders and negative body image.
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