Self-imagery in individuals with high body dissatisfaction: The effect of positive and negative self-imagery on aspects of the self-concept
Self-imagery in individuals with high body dissatisfaction: The effect of positive and negative self-imagery on aspects of the self-concept
Background and objectives: Cognitive behavioural models of eating disorders highlight low self-esteem as a maintaining factor. This study explored the impact of positive and negative self-imagery on aspects of the working self (implicit and explicit self-esteem and self-concept clarity) in individuals with high body dissatisfaction (an important aspect of eating disorders). The impact of these images on state body satisfaction and affect was also explored.
Method: A group of participants with high body dissatisfaction completed measures of explicit self-esteem, self-concept clarity, state body satisfaction and affect prior to completing a negative (n = 33) or positive (n = 33) self-imagery retrieval task. Following this they completed the baseline measures and a measure of implicit self-esteem.
Results: Holding a negative self-image in mind had a negative effect on explicit self-esteem, whilst holding a positive self-image had a beneficial effect. There were no effects of imagery on implicit self-esteem. Holding a negative image in mind led to a significant reduction in self-concept clarity; however, positive self-imagery did not affect self-concept clarity. Holding a negative self-image in mind led to a decrease in body satisfaction and state affect. The opposite was found for the positive self-imagery group.
Limitations: Implicit self-esteem was not measured at baseline.
Conclusions: Imagery techniques which promote positive self-images may help improve aspects of the working self, body satisfaction and affect in individuals with high levels of body dissatisfaction. As such, these imagery techniques warrant further investigation in a clinical population.
Body dissatisfaction, Explicit self-esteem, Implicit self-esteem, Self-concept clarity, Self-imagery
8-13
Farrar, Stephanie
594b8bca-c691-436e-8725-27be43d4f1c6
Stopa, Lusia
b52f29fc-d1c2-450d-b321-68f95fa22c40
Turner, Hannah
13912a99-670c-4405-945b-6d979e6805d8
1 January 2015
Farrar, Stephanie
594b8bca-c691-436e-8725-27be43d4f1c6
Stopa, Lusia
b52f29fc-d1c2-450d-b321-68f95fa22c40
Turner, Hannah
13912a99-670c-4405-945b-6d979e6805d8
Farrar, Stephanie, Stopa, Lusia and Turner, Hannah
(2015)
Self-imagery in individuals with high body dissatisfaction: The effect of positive and negative self-imagery on aspects of the self-concept.
Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 46 (1), .
(doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2014.07.011).
Abstract
Background and objectives: Cognitive behavioural models of eating disorders highlight low self-esteem as a maintaining factor. This study explored the impact of positive and negative self-imagery on aspects of the working self (implicit and explicit self-esteem and self-concept clarity) in individuals with high body dissatisfaction (an important aspect of eating disorders). The impact of these images on state body satisfaction and affect was also explored.
Method: A group of participants with high body dissatisfaction completed measures of explicit self-esteem, self-concept clarity, state body satisfaction and affect prior to completing a negative (n = 33) or positive (n = 33) self-imagery retrieval task. Following this they completed the baseline measures and a measure of implicit self-esteem.
Results: Holding a negative self-image in mind had a negative effect on explicit self-esteem, whilst holding a positive self-image had a beneficial effect. There were no effects of imagery on implicit self-esteem. Holding a negative image in mind led to a significant reduction in self-concept clarity; however, positive self-imagery did not affect self-concept clarity. Holding a negative self-image in mind led to a decrease in body satisfaction and state affect. The opposite was found for the positive self-imagery group.
Limitations: Implicit self-esteem was not measured at baseline.
Conclusions: Imagery techniques which promote positive self-images may help improve aspects of the working self, body satisfaction and affect in individuals with high levels of body dissatisfaction. As such, these imagery techniques warrant further investigation in a clinical population.
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Accepted/In Press date: 31 July 2014
e-pub ahead of print date: 8 August 2014
Published date: 1 January 2015
Keywords:
Body dissatisfaction, Explicit self-esteem, Implicit self-esteem, Self-concept clarity, Self-imagery
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 438035
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/438035
ISSN: 0005-7916
PURE UUID: 92adacf6-cb14-4a86-92e0-48800502c4e8
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Date deposited: 26 Feb 2020 17:31
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 06:37
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Author:
Stephanie Farrar
Author:
Hannah Turner
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