Limiting the Effects of the Media on Body Image: Does the Length of a Media Literacy Intervention Make a Difference?

Abstract

This study examined whether or not the length of a media literacy intervention had an impact on awareness of sociocultural ideals, internalization of sociocultural ideals, and body dissatisfaction. Fifty-four traditional-aged undergraduate females were assigned to a control condition (25.9%), a video only condition (22.4%), a short-term single session intervention condition (22.4%), or a long-term multi-session intervention condition (29.3%). The long-term intervention did decrease body dissatisfaction and both the short- and long-term intervention conditions decreased internalization of sociocultural ideals. It appears that longer term media literacy interventions have more potential to reduce body dissatisfaction than shorter term media literacy interventions and both short- and long-term media literacy interventions reduce internalization of socio cultural ideals.