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Body image and patients with amputations: does the prosthesis maintain the balance?

This paper attempts to establish whether dissatisfaction with the artificial limb and/or body image relate to achieved mobility following lower limb amputation in established limb wearers. Patients attending limb fitting clinics (n = 107, 62% male, mean time from amputation 13.9 years; range 1-54) participated. The measures were a specially designed Attitude to Artificial Limbs Questionnaire, a Body Image Questionnaire adapted from an eating disorders instrument including reference to body shape, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Harold Wood Stanmore Mobility Scale. The rehabilitation physician rated prosthetic suitability on a Numerical Rating Scale. The results showed patients were moderately satisfied with their artificial limb, had little experience of body image disruption or distress and there was no overall relationship between these variables and mobility. However, those with a more negative body image were more anxious and in younger patients who sustained more traumatic than vascular amputations, the correlation between body image and mobility was significant, anxiety was higher and physician satisfaction with the prosthesis was lower. It is concluded that body image disruption, anxiety and depression are not common in established limb wearers except in young people with traumatic amputations.

Adult↗

Body image concerns of breast augmentation patients.

This study investigated the body image concerns of women who sought cosmetic breast augmentation. Thirty breast augmentation candidates completed several measures of body image before their initial surgical consultation. Thirty physically similar women who were not interested in breast augmentation were recruited from the medical center and university community and also completed the measures. Breast augmentation candidates, as compared with women not seeking augmentation, reported greater dissatisfaction with their breasts. Augmentation candidates rated their ideal breast size, as well as the breast size preferred by women, as significantly larger than did controls. In addition, women interested in breast augmentation reported greater investment in their appearance, greater distress about their appearance in a variety of situations, and more frequent teasing about their appearance. Finally, breast augmentation candidates also reported more frequent use of psychotherapy in the year before the operation as compared with women not seeking augmentation. These results replicate and extend previous studies of body image in cosmetic surgery patients.

Adult↗

Body image in patients with HIV/AIDS: assessment of a new psychometric measure and its medical correlates.

HIV infection and its treatment can have significant effects on physical appearance and functioning, which can affect self-perceived body image. We assessed the psychometric properties of a newly developed Body Image Scale (BIS), a subjective measure of body image perception in persons with HIV infection, as well as the scale's relationship to disease progression, symptoms, and demographic factors. HIV-positive men (n = 129) and women (n = 21) attending two outpatient HIV clinics were administered the BIS survey along with a one-page questionnaire. A subset (n = 38) were administered the survey on two occasions to assess test-retest reliability. Nearly half of the sample (46%) had AIDS and 25% had a CD4 count below 200 cells/mm(3) within the prior 3 months. The BIS had unidimensional factor structure, good internal consistency reliability (Chronbach alpha = 0.91), and good test-retest reliability (r = 0.71, p < 0.001) after controlling for the length of interval between assessments. Patients' current perception of their body image was worse then what they perceived it to be prior to HIV infection (p < 0.001), but better than their perception of how others view people with HIV (p < 0.001). The presence of symptomatic disease (p < 0.001) and a diagnosis of AIDS (p = 0.02) were associated with a less favorable body image, although laboratory markers of disease progression (CD4 count and plasma HIV viral load) were not. We conclude that the BIS has good construct validity and is a highly reproducible measure of self-perceptive of body image in HIV-infected patients. Further exploration of its relationship to psychological well being, medication adherence and other aspects of medical care is indicated.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

[Body Image Index in the Rorschach test in ulcerative proctocolitis].

The use of the Rorschach test allows the body image to be examined using the Body-Image Index formulated by Fisher-Cleveland. This index is obtained by calculating the responses to Penetration and Barrier. The hypothesis is that the diseases which affect the inside of the body are more greatly correlated to a high P score and a low B score (high P-low B type personality). The paper examines the Body-Image Index in a sample of 41 patients suffering from ulcerous rectocolitis comprising 24 males and 17 females with a mean age of 32 years. The personality profile obtained is of the "high P-low B" type with a P/R% ratio which is clearly higher than the central mean value (28.7% vs 8%) and a B/R% ratio which is clearly lower than the central mean value (4.2% vs 18%). The personality of the patients in this group was marked by a tendency to anxiety and a tendency to express aggression within their bodies (anger-in) which was field-dependent, difficulty in tolerating stress, a tendency to react somatically to conflicts, a low degree of body image stability and a constant need for an external holding object.

Adult↗

The relationship of body image perception and weight status to recent change in weight status of the adolescent female.

This descriptive correlational study investigated the relationship of body image perception and weight status to recent change in weight status of the adolescent female. Based on earlier research findings supporting the position that obese adolescent females demonstrate a negative body image perception as compared to the nonobese, this investigation identified the need to study body image perception as it applies to all adolescent females and to include a recent change in weight status as it may affect that perception. A convenience sample of 90 adolescent females between the ages of 13 and 17 years was selected from health and gym classes at a large midwestern metropolitan high school. Subjects were grouped into three categories: nonobese, overweight, and obese based on height, weight, and skinfold measurement. They were administered two questionnaires: the Body-Cathexis Scale and a self-report recent change in weight status and demographic questionnaire. Results indicated a significant positive correlation for the overall association of body image perception and weight status. When the analysis was partialled according to defined weight groups, the relationship held only for the overweight group. Differences in body image scores were obtained in association with each of the recent change-in-weight-status questions. Findings confirmed the need to study the association between body image perception and weight status to recent change in weight status with a more heterogeneous group of adolescent females.

Adolescent↗

Body image in women treated for breast cancer.

Body image, as a component of self-concept, was compared in four groups of women (N = 257) who received the most common types of treatment for breast cancer: mastectomy, mastectomy with delayed reconstruction, mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, and conservative surgery. Data were collected by mailed questionnaires using self-report instruments. Comparison of groups using analysis of covariance with age as a covariate indicated that mean body image in the conservative surgery group was significantly more positive than in either the mastectomy group or in the mastectomy with immediate reconstruction group. No differences in self-concept were evident among the four groups.

Adult↗

The impact of treatment for genital cancer on quality of life and body image--results of a prospective longitudinal 10-year study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of treatment for genital cancer on quality of life and body image to determine patients' therapy-related needs for quality improvement of medical care before and after surgery. METHODS: We started to evaluate women with cervical cancer planned for pelvic exenteration in 1993 and integrated women planned for a Wertheim-Meigs surgery in 1995 before surgery, 4 and 12 months after surgery. Thanks to funding since 1999, more than 400 patients with a diagnosis of genital (n = 185) or breast (n = 217) cancer participated in this prospective study until July 2003. In this paper, we will focus on n = 129 women with cervical cancer. The assessment protocol included objective questionnaires for quality of life and body image (CARES; EORTC; Body image by Strauss and Appelt). The evaluation of quality of life incorporated five dimensions: physical and psychosocial health, marital and sexual status, and medical interaction. RESULTS: Before surgery, women with a Wertheim's procedure indicated significantly less problems concerning the quality of life global score (P = 0.002) and several subscales compared to women with a pelvic exenteration. After surgery, both groups indicated their sexual problems to be the greatest restriction in terms of quality of life, especially in women with non-reconstructive surgery as well as in women with adjuvant radio and/or chemotherapy. Concerning body image, attractiveness or self-confidence was significantly reduced postoperatively compared to the preoperative status for both groups (P = 0.000), and also worsened with the extent of treatment. Worries about the patient's family persisted over time and represented the most important item about all questions concerning quality of life as well as the fear of recurrence. CONCLUSION: This on-going study demonstrates the interferences between the treatment modality and the patient's quality of life, especially about sexuality and body image. Our results suggest not only to provide reconstructive surgery if possible, but also to integrate psychosocial information aspects on future quality of life outcome before surgery as well as to offer psychosocial support related to the extent of treatment modality after surgery.

Adult↗

Virtual reality for the treatment of body image disturbances.

This chapter describes the characteristics and preliminary evaluation of The Virtual Environment for Body Image Modification (VEBIM), a set of tasks aimed at treating body image disturbances and body dissatisfaction associated with eating disorders. Two methods are commonly used to treat body image: (1) a cognitive/behavioural therapy to influence patients' feelings of dissatisfaction; (2) a visual/motorial therapy with the aim of influencing the level of bodily awareness. VEBIM tries to integrate these two therapeutic approaches within an immersive virtual environment. This choice would not only make it possible to intervene simultaneously on all of the forms of bodily representations, but also to use the psycho-physiological effects provoked on the body by the virtual experience for therapeutic purposes. The chapter, together with the description of the VEBIM theoretical approach, it also presents a study on two preliminary samples (71 normal subjects, uncontrolled study, 48 normal subjects, controlled study) to test its efficacy.

Adult↗

Can body image education programs be harmful to adolescent females?

The aim of the study was to evaluate two body image education posters to determine whether such preventive strategies have any negative effects on the body image of adolescent females. Female school students (N = 328) of mean age 14.4 (SD = 1.8) years from six high schools evaluated two body image education posters using a questionnaire. Participants made suggestions for improving the posters and conducting future body image interventions. The posters were rated as not-beneficial by 28% of participants; 35% did not like the posters, and 69% did not want their own copy, the major reason being that self-comparison with the teenage models in the poster made them feel worse about themselves. The 5 Girls poster was rated lowest among older girls. Eight percent of girls did not know what message the posters were meant to portray and 8% received an incorrect or harmful message from the posters. This research suggests that educational initiatives to improve body image in adolescent girls may have negative effects. Planning of preventive interventions should involve program recipients and the educational materials should be pretested to prevent unintended and potentially harmful outcomes.

Journal Article↗

Selective mood-induced body image disparagement and enhancement effects: are they due to cognitive priming or subjective mood?

OBJECTIVE: The study evaluated the effects of mood induction procedures on body image. METHOD: Eighty female undergraduates participated in combinations of two valences (negative vs. positive) and two types (self-referent vs. other-referent) of mood induction procedures (MIPs). A measure of subjective mood and seven measures of body image were administered before and after the MIPs. RESULTS: Individuals in the self-referent MIP who had high negative body image at the pretest demonstrated increases in negative body image after exposure to the negative valence MIP (a disparagement effect) and decreases in negative body image after exposure to the positive valence MIP (an enhancement effect). This pattern was not evident in the other-referent MIP. Also, changes in negative body image were not appreciably associated with changes in subjective mood. DISCUSSION: The findings yielded support for the cognitive priming hypothesis but not for the subjective mood hypothesis. Further means of examining the cognitive priming hypothesis were outlined.

Adult↗

Weight, weight-related aspects of body image, and depression in early adolescent girls.

This investigation assessed the hypothesis that early adolescent girls with more negative weight-related body images would report higher levels of depressive symptoms. The Beck Depression Inventory was administered, and measures of objective weight and four dimensions of weight-related body image were obtained: self-reported weight, subjective classification of weight from very underweight to very overweight, satisfaction with weight, and concerns about weight. The results indicated that the more subjective and personal measures of weight-related body image discontent--weight dissatisfaction and weight concerns--were associated with increased depressive symptoms, even controlling for objective weight status. These results are discussed in relation to the ontogenesis of body image and the place of body image in personality and the development of depression.

Adolescent↗

Children's body image concerns and eating disturbance: a review of the literature.

In recent years a large number of studies have examined body image concerns, and early symptoms of eating disturbance among children. However, to date there has been no synthesis or evaluation of these studies. The purpose of the present article is to review and evaluate the research that has examined body image concerns, and eating attitudes and behaviors among children 6 to 11 years of age. The instruments used to assess body image concerns and eating disturbance in children closely resemble those used with adolescents and adults. Overall, the psychometric data for these instruments are very good and there is sufficient evidence indicating that they can be used reliably and validly. In addition, similar variables to those studied in adolescent and adult samples have been found to be associated with children's body image concerns and early eating disturbance. These include gender, age, body mass index, race, sociocultural pressures, and self-concept. Our understanding of the development of body image concerns and eating disturbance in children is limited, however, by the fact that most of the research in this field has been based on cross-sectional data, and the studies have focused almost exclusively on weight loss cognitions and behaviors.

Body Image↗

Self-concept and body image of Turkish high school male athletes and nonathletes.

This study was conducted to determine the differences in self-concept and body image satisfaction and the relation between self-concept and body image among 174 Turkish high school male athletes and 174 nonathletes. The subjects were randomly selected from public high schools which represent middle socioeconomic status in Ankara. The Harter Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents and Berscheid, Walster, and Bohrnstedt's Body Image Questionnaire were administered to all participants. Significant differences were found in social acceptance, athletic competence, and physical appearance subscales of self-concept (p < .05), as well as in mean body image satisfaction among both groups (p < .05). There were also significant correlations between subscales of self-concept and body image for athletes and nonathletes.

Adolescent↗

Comparisons of body image dimensions by race/ethnicity and gender in a university population.

OBJECTIVE: We examined affective and cognitive components of body image related to physical appearance, weight, and health among 120 university men and women of three racial/ethnic groups: African American, European American, and Latino/a American. METHOD: Participants completed a Background Information Sheet, the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ), the Body-Esteem Scale (BES) with additional items, and the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR). We tested for effects of race/ethnicity and gender on the body image measures while controlling for age, body size, social desirability, and socioeconomic status (SES). RESULTS: African Americans reported greatest body satisfaction and least overestimation of weight. Latino/a Americans were equal to or higher than European Americans on all indices. Gender differences occurred on global body image, weight concerns, fitness, and health. There were no Gender x Race/Ethnicity interactions. DISCUSSION: This pattern of racial/ethnic and gender differences shows a need for exploring a wider range of culturally relevant body image dimensions.

Adolescent↗

Body-image distortion and mental imagery.

This study explored whether body-image distortion is a function of difficulties with imagery or problems with judgment. 49 subjects were given the Modified Video Camera Technique to measure body-image distortion. Mental imagery was measured by a modified version of the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire and the Spatial Relations subtest of the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-educational Battery. Visual recall was assessed on the Meier Art Judgment Test. Judgment bias was assessed by the Stunkard Silhouette Method and the shape and weight subscales of the Eating Disorder Examination. Subjects who distorted body-image scored significantly more poorly on mental imagery than those who did not distort. No differences were found between groups on visual memory recall or in judgment bias.

Adult↗

Body image in binge eating disorder.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impairment of body image in patients with binge eating disorder (BED). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 3-year longitudinal study was undertaken in 25 BED obese patients and 26 non-BED obese patients who had undergone biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) for obesity. The body image was evaluated by the Eating Disorder Inventory body dissatisfaction scale. RESULTS: Within the third postoperative year, 95% of patients had stopped binge eating. After the first postoperative year, the BED patients showed body dissatisfaction scores higher than those of the non-BED group, whereas the longer-term results were closely similar. CONCLUSIONS: Over the long term following BPD, binge eating disappears, which suggests that the loss of control over food intake is mainly dependent on dieting and on the preoccupation with food and body shape. The derangement of body image in obese patients with BED is only partly dependent on inner feelings. In fact, the stable weight normalization after BPD is accompanied by a sharp improvement in body image in all cases. It appears that the complete normalization requires more time in BED patients than in their non-BED counterparts.

Adult↗

Binge eating, body image, depression, and self-efficacy in an obese clinical population.

OBJECTIVE: Binge eating disorder appears to be an important factor in obesity treatment. Researchers have proposed that specialized treatment programs be developed to address chronic binge eating behavior. This study was conducted to examine the relationships between binge eating, depression, body image, and self-efficacy. Based on related research, it was hypothesized that depression and negative body image would be greater for binge eaters whereas weight self-efficacy would be lower. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Subjects were 159 clinic patients participating in a multidisciplinary weight management program. Baseline measurements of binge eating status, body image and related eating behaviors, depression, and self-efficacy were obtained, whereas follow-up measures consisted of weight loss and attendance. Exploratory factor analyses were performed to obtain factors for items contained in the Eating Habits Questionnaire. Chi-square, t-tests, and logistic regression analyses determined relationships between binge eating, body image, depression, and self-efficacy. RESULTS: Univariate comparisons indicated that increased perceptions of poor body image were significantly related to binge eating. Higher levels of depression and lower weight self-efficacy were related to binge eating, but the results were qualified after applying corrective statistics for multiple comparisons. A stepwise regression analysis indicated that body image, particularly characterized by a sense of shame and concern with public appearance, had the strongest relationship to binge eating among all the factors examined in this study. DISCUSSION: These findings extend current understanding of the relationships between binge eating, body image, depression, and self-efficacy. The significance of body image, especially in relation to negative social consciousness, was determined when comparing several psychological and behavioral factors thought to influence binge eating. Further research is needed to determine the causal relationships between binge eating and the other factors examined in this study.

Body Image↗

A computer-based method for the assessment of body-image distortions in anorexia-nervosa patients.

A computer-based method for the assessment of body-image distortions in anorexia nervosa and other eating-disorder patients is presented in this paper. At the core of the method is a realistic pictorial simulation of lifelike weight changes, applied to a real source image of the patient. The patients, using a graphical user interface, adjust their body shapes until they meet their self-perceived appearance. Measuring the extent of virtual fattening or slimming of a body with respect to its real shape and size allows direct quantitative evaluation of the cognitive distortion in body image. In a preliminary experiment involving 33 anorexia-nervosa patients, 70% of the subjects chose an image with simulated visual weight gain between 8%-16% as their "real" body image, while only one of them recognized the original body image. In a second experiment involving 30 healthy participants, the quality of the weight modified images was evaluated by pairwise selection trials. Over a weight change range from -16% to +28%, in about 30% of the trials, artificially modified images were mistakenly taken as "original" images, thus demonstrating the quality of the artificial images. The method presented is currently in a clinical validation phase, toward application in the research, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of eating disorders.

Agnosia↗