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Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
A comparison of functionality, rumination, and distraction tasks on women's state body image and mood after idealised media exposure
Body Image, Vol.51, pp.1-8
2024
PMID: 39146632
Appears in UniSC Supported Open Access Outputs
Abstract
Writing tasks that encourage an appreciation of body functionality can improve women's body image and may buffer against negative effects of idealised media exposure. However, no research has examined whether these tasks can serve as a coping strategy after idealised exposure. To this end, young adult women (N N = 217, M age = 21.63) recruited from an Australian university and general community completed a writing task after idealised media exposure, with state body image measures taken at baseline, post-exposure, and post-task. Women were randomly allocated to one of three writing tasks and asked to appreciate their body functionality, to focus on the previously viewed images (rumination), or to describe a frequently travelled route (distraction). Improvements on outcome measures were equally found across both the functionality and distraction condition. Only body appreciation uniquely improved in the functionality condition. The functionality task was rated more helpful but also more challenging. These findings add to the evidence base regarding the usefulness of functionality-based writing tasks for improving women's body image. They can offer immediate benefits when experiencing body image distress, as can distraction, and future research should explore their utility in driving more sustained and deeper ways of engaging with one's body long-term.
Details
- Title
- A comparison of functionality, rumination, and distraction tasks on women's state body image and mood after idealised media exposure
- Authors
- Kate E. Mulgrew (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - PsychologyShannon Boyer (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Psychology
- Publication details
- Body Image, Vol.51, pp.1-8
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Date published
- 2024
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101782
- ISSN
- 1873-6807; 1740-1445
- PMID
- 39146632
- Copyright note
- © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- Data Availability
- The data that has been used is confidential.
- Organisation Unit
- Graduate Research School; Cancer Research Cluster; School of Health - Psychology
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991061496102621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Web Of Science research areas
- Psychiatry
- Psychology, Clinical
- Psychology, Multidisciplinary
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Source: InCites