There has been a surge in “quarantine15” social media posts during the self-isolation and lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 global pandemic. Given the influence of other body and weight-centered social media content (e.g., Fitspiration, Fatspiration) on body image and weight stigmatizing thoughts and attitudes, characterizing the features of quarantine15 content is an imperative first step towards

Using an interpersonal theory of suicide and affect regulation framework, we investigated the relationships between perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, weight stigmatization, emotion dysregulation, eating pathology, and suicide risk. Three main hypotheses were investigated. First, we predicted a positive linear relationship between weight stigmatization and risk. Second, an indirect effect

Recently, Cornelissen, Cornelissen, Groves, McCarty and Tovée (2018) asked which image orientations (e.g. front-, side-, or three-quarter view) are most appropriate for tasks which are used for self-estimates of body size and shape. Based on psychophysical measurements, they showed that front view stimuli showed substantially poorer content validity compared to side- and three-quarter view stimuli

Brazilian women are known to present high levels of physical appearance concerns, and data suggest they often compare themselves with others. Nevertheless, there is no validated instrument to systematically assess appearance comparisons in the Brazilian population. Thus, this study aimed to translate the Physical Appearance Comparison Scale-Revised (PACS-R) into Brazilian Portuguese and evaluate its

Decades of intergroup contact research have found that contact with outgroups reduces negative attitudes. Yet, few studies have examined the association between contact and anti-fat attitudes. Furthermore, testing different facets of contact, namely contact quantity versus contact duration, provides more precise theoretical predictions for their effectiveness in this under-tested context. This study

The body positive movement on social media seeks to challenge narrow conceptualizations of beauty that media outlets traditionally perpetuate and reinforce. Through a 2 × 2 between-subjects online experiment, we examined how the nature and authenticity of body-positive imagery on social media affects female viewers and their evaluations of body-positive content (N = 425, Mage = 35.47, SDage = 13.52)

Body-related self-conscious emotions are important predictors of exercise motivation, yet the association between body-related self-conscious emotions and reasons for exercise has not been explored. Researchers have typically examined body-related emotions (e.g., shame, guilt, pride, embarrassment, envy) in isolation, but they may interact in unique ways to predict reasons for exercise. The present

A burgeoning body of literature shows a positive relationship between body functionality and positive body image. Although still nascent, research centring experiences of people with disabilities and bodily differences develops this literature. In this article, we offer directions for this research, bringing body functionality into dialogue with feminist materialist disability theory to examine relations

Disordered eating research has long considered the negative consequences of internalizing sociocultural appearance ideals (e.g., thin ideal, muscular ideal). However, the implications of internalizing a curvy or “hourglass” body shape remains unclear. The Hourglass Body Shape Ideal Scale (HBSIS) is a new self-report questionnaire that was developed and evaluated to appropriately measure the extent

Science mapping is a methodology that combines quantitative analysis, classification, and visualisation to identify the composition and inter-relationships between bibliographic objects. Here, we used bibliometric science mapping to identify the overarching structure, evolution of research themes and research fronts, and geographic spread of body image research. We examined 2,783 keywords in 1,107

Cognitive dissonance-based interventions (CDIs) have been well established as effective programs for the prevention of eating disorders. However, limited research has qualitatively explored adolescent girls experience of such interventions. The present study examined the acceptability of a cognitive dissonance-based body image intervention among adolescent girls in UK secondary schools. Adolescent

Research suggests that weight-related teasing is associated with body concerns and disordered eating in male and female adolescents and women. Yet, little is known about these associations for young men with diverse racial and ethnic identities. This study examined the association of weight-related teasing frequency and distress with body concerns, loss of control (LOC) eating, dietary restraint, and

Findings consistently illustrate the negative association between women’s sexual objectification and their sexual functioning. At the same time, some scholars argue that sexualized self-presentation may be a way to embrace one’s sexuality and may signify empowerment. To date, no studies have explicitly explored the potential differential contributions of self-objectification and self-sexualization

The present study examined whether trait physical appearance perfectionism moderates young women’s body image following upwards appearance comparison to idealized body images on social media, and whether cognitive coping mediates the relationship between physical appearance perfectionism and resulting body image from social comparison processes. Female undergraduate students (N = 142) were randomly

Much evidence has highlighted detrimental effects of social media on body image, and attention has turned towards identifying content that could support and promote positive body image. This study aimed to conduct a scoping review of the emerging evidence focused on social media content that might support positive body image. A total of n = 35 studies (21 experimental) examining social media were identified

In the age of social media, “likes” are increasingly considered a numerical indicator of popularity and a measure of self-worth. Using an online questionnaire, Australian women (N = 291) aged 18–55 years self-reported their reaction to Instagram removing the visibility of the number of likes from other people’s posts, and completed measures of comparison and body image. Findings showed that the majority

A randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the efficacy of the Body Project eating disorder prevention program in reducing eating disorder risk factors and symptoms in young Brazilian women. A total of 141 female university students aged 18–30 years old were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: assessment-only condition (n = 78) and Body Project condition (n = 63). Participants completed

Current literature is inconsistent about the effects of idealized (i.e., thin) vs. non-idealized (i.e., average or plus-size) models on young women’s well-being. This inconsistency may be explained by different frames (i.e., passive body, active body, and subject) surrounding beauty ad models. The current experimental study among 568 women aged 18–30 years (M = 21.45, SD = 1.84) tested the effects

Internalized weight stigma (IWS) is associated with various health concerns, regardless of body size. One weakness of existing IWS research is that it largely lacks diverse study populations. One recent exception, however, found increasing IWS was associated with higher levels of food insecurity (FI) in a low-income, majority Latinx sample. Using the same sample (N = 530), the present study further

We introduce the term “seasonal body image” to refer to within-person variation in body image that occurs across the Gregorian seasons of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Herein, we (i) quantified and visualised seasonal body image and its mechanisms, and (ii) identified individual predictors of seasonal body image. Sexual minority men (N = 823) residing in the Northern Hemisphere (n = 659) and

Weight-based oppression, including negative attitudes about body weight, and harassment, stigma, and discrimination based on body weight, is a widespread phenomenon that leads to considerable distress and poor health and wellbeing outcomes. Conversely, body positivity is a multi-faceted concept that encompasses body acceptance, body appreciation, and body love, and adaptive approaches protective of

Body image research is growing in India; however, there are no psychometrically valid measures to assess body image concerns among an Indian population. In this study, the Body Esteem Scale for Adults and Adolescents (BESAA) underwent adaptation and validation among urban Indian adolescents in English. Cultural adaptations were made in consultation with body image experts and acceptability interviews

Test adaptation – the translation and validation of source instruments for use in new social identity groups – plays a vital role in body image research. Previously, Swami and Barron (2019) developed a set of good practice recommendations and reporting guidelines for the test adaptation of body image instruments. However, a number of issues in that article were not covered in depth and new issues have

Ultra-thin fashion dolls may represent a risk factor for thin-ideal internalisation and body dissatisfaction amongst young girls. We asked thirty one 5- to 9-year-old girls to engage in interactive play with commercially available dolls which were either ultra-thin (Barbie and Monster High) or represented a putative realistic childlike shape (Lottie and Dora) and to indicate their perceived own-body

Body image problems are reported during middle childhood and are associated with exposure to appearance-focused media. This longitudinal study investigated the extent to which three media influence components, Awareness, Pressure, and Internalization of media ideals, predict body image and eating problems in children and whether gender moderates this effect. A total sample of N = 688 participants (46

The stigmatization of larger bodies is omnipresent in Western society and may be associated with fear of fat, one of the core elements of body image and eating concerns. To date, while much work has focused on sociocultural influences towards thinness, parallel work exploring sociocultural influence on fear of fat is lacking. This study therefore aimed to develop and evaluate a measure of sociocultural

Body image flexibility refers to the ability to openly experience thoughts or feelings about the body without acting on them or trying to change them. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that body image flexibility is connected to numerous adaptive processes, and that it is sensitive to change during psychological interventions. However, a quantitative synthesis of empirical research on body image

Research indicates that 40 % of men experience weight-related stigmatization. Yet perceptions of body size continue to be understudied in men and the stereotype content of men’s weight status remains largely unknown. Grounded in Stereotype Content Model, the research aims to uncover men’s stereotype content associated with distinct body sizes. A pilot study tested the methodological design using a

Disordered eating symptoms remain a largely unidentified and unsupported area in perinatal healthcare, particularly as they pertain to women without diagnosed eating disorders. In an Australian prospective cohort study, women aged 18–48, completed questionnaires between: 18–24 weeks gestation (n = 249, T1), 30–32 weeks gestation (n = 151, T2) and 8–10 weeks postpartum (n = 124, T3), measuring disordered

Functionality and appearance-based reflective writing tasks can improve body image in young women. There is limited research investigating these tasks in mature women. This study tested (a) the effectiveness of writing tasks on women’s state body image and (b) whether these tasks buffered responses to idealised media. Women (N = 240, Mage = 44.58) were randomly allocated to write about the positive

The Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS; Alleva et al., 2017) is a 7-item measure of an individual’s appreciation of their body for what it can do and is capable of doing. Although the instrument is increasingly used in interventionist studies, its psychometric properties have been infrequently investigated outside Anglophone populations. Here, we examined psychometric properties of a novel Romanian

Weight stigma is pervasive and has a range of deleterious effects. Among the most promising approaches for modifying this form of stigma are cognitive dissonance and social consensus. Due to their theoretical connection, this study tested the effects of an experimental manipulation of cognitive dissonance blended with social consensus for targeting weight stigma. It also added to research investigating

Research suggests that positive and negative body talk are important factors in people’s body image, however, the instruments designed to measure body talk are generally designed for use with a specific gender and primarily measure negative body talk. To address the shortcomings in the existing measures, the Body Talk Scale (BTS) was designed to measure both positive and negative body talk in men and

Individuals who perceive themselves as “overweight” experience higher negative body-related self-conscious emotions than those who do not. Theoretical and empirical evidence suggests internalized weight stigma may be an important mediator of the relationship between weight perception and self-conscious emotions. Overcoming common measurement limitations and sampling limitations, the present study investigated

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and anorexia nervosa (AN) are characterised by body image disturbance. It has been suggested that poor global integration in visual processing may underlie distorted body image, but empirical studies have yielded mixed results. The current study involved two meta-analyses aimed at examining the extent to which poor global processing is evident in BDD and AN. Studies were

Although prior work indicates an association between idealized media content and adolescents’ body-related concerns, such as self-objectification, body comparison, and body shame, few prior studies have examined the role of pornography. Even fewer studies have included adolescent girls, limiting our understanding of potential gender differences. In this brief report, we investigate these associations

Assessing the impact of body image on engagement in a range of life domains is important; however, there is a lack of validated measures for adolescents. The current research developed the Body Image Life Disengagement Questionnaire (BILD-Q) and validated it among four samples of British adolescents. Study 1 (N = 1707; 11–13 years) indicated a 9-item unidimensional scale based on Exploratory Factory

The present study explores how the construction and distribution of selfies might interact with features of newer media to affect women who share selfies on social media. In particular, this study focuses on how specific types of photo modification and the nature of favorable audience feedback received on one’s images might exert influence on women’s state self-objectification and body image concerns

Research has demonstrated links between viewing idealized images on social media and body dissatisfaction, but more work is needed to understand how exposure to appearance-related content influences body image. The current research evaluated the effects of viewing fitspiration images and images of self-compassion quotes on Instagram on men and women’s body image and self-compassion. This topic was

The present study aimed to expand weight stigma theoretical models by accounting for central tenets of prominent eating disorder (ED) theories and increasing the generalizability of existing models for individuals across the weight spectrum. College students (Sample 1: N = 1228; Sample 2: N = 1368) completed online surveys assessing stigma and ED symptoms. In each sample, separately, multi-group path

Transgender adolescents (TGAs) face many of the same sociocultural and biological influences on body dissatisfaction and disordered eating as cisgender peers. Additionally, TGAs experience unique body- and gender-related concerns. The purpose of this study is to explore the nuances of gender identity, gender transitioning, body image, and disordered eating among TGAs. Case summaries and a synthesis

In the present paper, we tested an objectification theory model including compliance with COVID-19 safety measures as an outcome. Safety measures recommended by governments and health organizations include monitoring one’s body and interpersonal and social distance from others. We contend that the diffuse safety anxiety stemming from sexual and self-objectification encourages targets to broadly adopt

This study examined whether rumination, shame, self-criticism, and perfectionism mediate the previously established link between self-compassion and both eating and body image concerns. A cross-sectional online survey was completed by a community sample of non-clinical adult women (n = 369) and men (n = 201). Participants completed standardised measures of self-compassion (predictor), rumination, external

Body appreciation is considered a key dimension of positive body image. Tylka and Wood-Barcalow (2015) developed the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2), a psychometrically sound measure to assess body appreciation. The present study examines various psychometric properties (i.e. factor structure, sex-based measurement invariance, and construct validity) of an Italian translation of the BAS-2 in a community

The socialization of girls to habitually monitor their bodies, via the process of body surveillance, contributes to an increased risk of negative physical and psychological experiences. The present study examined if body surveillance may also contribute to the decrease in physical activity that is observed in girls during adolescence, and if this association is mediated by body shame (operationalized

Although historically conceptualized as problems of youth, recent research indicates that women of all ages experience body dissatisfaction and eating disorder (ED) pathology. Despite this, existing body image interventions predominantly target youth. The Body Project (BP) has extensive support for reducing ED risk factors in younger women and girls. The current proof-of-concept study investigated

Adult women report significant body dissatisfaction yet are often overlooked in body image promotion programs. Although few venues afford opportune settings for intervening with adult women, the church serves as a regular meeting place for many in the South of the United States. This study tested a dissonance-based body image program, Reclaiming Beauty (RB), adapted for adult women in church settings

Few studies have validated body image related measures in Asian countries, including in India, thus stunting research progress. To provide a robust method of assessing internalisation of cultural appearance ideals, the purpose of this study was to validate a culturally appropriate English version of the Internalisation-General subscale from the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Attitudes Questionnaire-3

The body positivity movement—celebrating bodies beyond the thin ideal—has gained traction on social media. In an online study of North American women, we aimed to determine how ideal body perceptions shift based on the presentation of more diverse body types. In Study 1, women (n = 115, aged 19–75) responded to arrays of bodies ranging from primarily small to primarily large bodies, selecting the body

Culture is believed to play a central role in body image and eating problems, and for this reason, it is important to conduct cross-cultural investigations of relevant theoretical models. This study involves a non-Western replication of one of the few existing models of positive body image, the gratitude model of body appreciation, which was originally developed using American women. The model postulates

The Body Acceptance by Others Scale (BAOS) measures the degree to which individuals perceive body acceptance by others, but its factor structure is questionable. Here, we developed a revision of the BAOS (i.e., the BAOS-2) by designing novel items reflective of generalised perceptions of body acceptance by others. In three studies, we examined the psychometrics of the 13-item BAOS-2. Study 1, with

Higher weight individuals experience frequent weight-related discrimination, which is associated with exercise avoidance. Exercise is a health behavior with multiple physical and mental health benefits and should be accessible to all. The current study examined another factor that might influence exercise in addition to weight stigma: social anxiety (SA). Given the often public nature of exercise,

This study investigated the effects of taking photos (of the self or objects) on women. Objectification theory states that women are subjected to societal pressure to focus on their physical appearance. The emergence of social media as a communication channel has further reinforced the emphasis on women’s appearance, beauty ideals, and body image. On social media, selfies serve as a self-presentation

Fitspiration is a popular form of social media which outwardly promotes the pursuit of health and strength rather than of thinness. Content analyses, however, suggest that it is thematically similar to thinspiration, which is primarily associated with thinness and presents disordered eating as a lifestyle choice. Exposure to both reduces body satisfaction, but their effect has not been compared. Further

Adolescent girls who engage in frequent self-objectification often report a greater number of depressive symptoms. Although concurrent associations between self-objectification and depression are well-documented, it is less clear if objectification contributes to the course of symptoms. The current study examined: (a) whether body surveillance is prospectively related to depressive symptoms over a

Elevated body dissatisfaction is underpinned by an attentional bias towards images portraying appearance ideals. However, very little is known about the specific attentional mechanisms and mediating factors involved in this relationship in the context of male body dissatisfaction. The present study sought to replicate and extend on previous research among women showing that the relationship between

Affective judgments are one of the strongest predictors of physical activity. Engaging in body surveillance during physical activity is theorized to reduce access to pleasant affective experiences thereby compromising the influence of affective judgments. However, empirical tests of this relationship are lacking. This study examined associations between body surveillance during physical activity and

Body functionality describes everything that the body is able to do, across diverse domains (e.g., bodily senses, creative endeavours). Nearly a decade ago, leading scholars identified research on body functionality as a priority for the body image field. The field has responded, as shown by the recent rise of body functionality research. We considered this an opportune time to (a) define body functionality

Studies of the Tripartite Influence Model conducted with female samples suggest that thinness-oriented pressures, internalization, and appearance comparisons may be risk factors for disordered eating. However, limited work has investigated this model among men utilizing measures specifically designed to assess both muscularity- and thinness-oriented processes, which characterize male body image concerns

As yoga continues to increase in global popularity, idealized representations of a thin, athletic ‘yoga body’ have also become more prominent across commercial media. To examine how yoga is typically represented on social media, a content analysis of the posts of female yoga practitioners on Instagram was undertaken. Images were sourced using hashtags #yoga, #yogabody, #yogapractice, and #yogawoman