A Program to Promote Positive Body Image:

Abstract

The effectiveness of a program designed to promote body image satisfaction and prevent eating problems in young adolescent girls was evaluated over a 1-year period. A total of 263 girls in Grade 6, one-half of whom were in the control group, completed questionnaires that assessed body image satisfaction and eating problems before and 1 week after the prevention program, and 6 and 12 months later. The six-session prevention program was developed around two principal components: (a) media literacy about the dangers associated with the idealization of thinness and (b) the promotion of life skills, including self-esteem enhancement strategies, stress management techniques, and peer relations skills. There was no program effect. Instead, the findings revealed significant increases in body image satisfaction and decreases in eating problem scores over time for participants in both the prevention and control groups.