Dissemination of a Dissonance-Based Body Image Program In Church Settings: A Pilot Study

Rachel Kaup

School Name

Wade Hampton High School

Grade Level

12th Grade

Presentation Topic

Psychology

Presentation Type

Mentored

Abstract

The Body Project is a cognitive-dissonance-based program that increases body satisfaction and reduces disordered eating in women. However, the Body Project has only been disseminated to adolescents in high school and college. Adult women are often overlooked in body image programs yet report significant body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Although few venues afford opportune settings for intervening with adult women, the church serves as a regular meeting place for many in the southeast. This study employed a community-based-participatory-research approach to disseminate a modified version-Reclaiming Beauty-for women in church settings. Using the train-the-trainer model, church leaders were trained to deliver Reclaiming Beauty. Women (n=51) participated in Reclaiming Beauty and completed assessments at baseline, post, and six-months. Waitlist-controls (n=31) completed assessments at the same time intervals. Results indicate the intervention significantly increased body satisfaction at post assessment (p<.001), but not at six-months (p=.202). However, stomach satisfaction sustained this increase in satisfaction at six-months (p=.025). Participants showed a significant decrease in thin-ideal internalization (p=.002), body surveillance (p=.023), and disordered eating (p<.001) at post and six-months relative to controls. Our findings provide support for the dissemination of a cognitive-dissonance-based body image program to adult women in church settings. During my summer research experience, I collaborated on this project and two other projects and collectively helped with recruiting participants, completing fidelity checks, as well as data management, analysis, and write-up.

Location

Furman Hall 207

Start Date

3-28-2020 11:45 AM

Presentation Format

Oral Only

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 28th, 11:45 AM

Dissemination of a Dissonance-Based Body Image Program In Church Settings: A Pilot Study

Furman Hall 207

The Body Project is a cognitive-dissonance-based program that increases body satisfaction and reduces disordered eating in women. However, the Body Project has only been disseminated to adolescents in high school and college. Adult women are often overlooked in body image programs yet report significant body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Although few venues afford opportune settings for intervening with adult women, the church serves as a regular meeting place for many in the southeast. This study employed a community-based-participatory-research approach to disseminate a modified version-Reclaiming Beauty-for women in church settings. Using the train-the-trainer model, church leaders were trained to deliver Reclaiming Beauty. Women (n=51) participated in Reclaiming Beauty and completed assessments at baseline, post, and six-months. Waitlist-controls (n=31) completed assessments at the same time intervals. Results indicate the intervention significantly increased body satisfaction at post assessment (p<.001), but not at six-months (p=.202). However, stomach satisfaction sustained this increase in satisfaction at six-months (p=.025). Participants showed a significant decrease in thin-ideal internalization (p=.002), body surveillance (p=.023), and disordered eating (p<.001) at post and six-months relative to controls. Our findings provide support for the dissemination of a cognitive-dissonance-based body image program to adult women in church settings. During my summer research experience, I collaborated on this project and two other projects and collectively helped with recruiting participants, completing fidelity checks, as well as data management, analysis, and write-up.