Effectiveness of a Dissonance-Based Eating Disorder Prevention Program (The Body Project II)

It is estimated that up to 80% of young adult women in the United States are dissatisfied with their appearance, particularly their weight. Young women's perception of the ideal body type is influenced by many factors, including peers, parents, and the media. Body dissatisfaction is associated with an increased risk of depression and eating disorders, making programs to reduce body image issues in young women important. Programs that target eating disorder prevention through promoting healthy behaviors and critiquing the thin ideal may be an effective means of increasing body satisfaction among young women. Particularly, a dissonance-based eating disorder prevention program that assesses the thin ideal through verbal, written, and behavioral exercises may be the best means of addressing body image concerns. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of dissonance-based eating disorder prevention programs in reducing body dissatisfaction among young women with body image concerns.

Participation in this study will last 2 years and will involve both parent and daughter participants. Study participation for parent participants will include three 15-minute interviews conducted at baseline and Years 1 and 2. The interviews will focus on their daughters' social adjustment, performance in school, relationships with others, hobbies, and related topics. Daughter participants will still be allowed to partake in the study even if their parents do not complete all three interviews.

All potential daughter participants will first complete a 20-minute interview regarding their eating habits and mental health. Eligible participants will then be assigned to one of three programs designed to improve body image satisfaction:

• Program 1 will consist of the distribution of an educational brochure about a healthy body image.
• Program 2 will involve four 1-hour meetings during which participants will complete a series of verbal and written exercises. The exercises will aim to increase body image satisfaction by helping participants to think critically about the thin ideal and to discuss some of the problems associated with the pursuit of this ideal.
• Program 3 will include eight 1-hour meetings during which participants will also complete a series of verbal and written exercises. The exercises will aim to increase body image satisfaction by helping participants to think critically about the thin ideal and by promoting healthy eating and exercise habits.

Participants in all programs will complete brief surveys and interviews about their attitudes and behaviors at baseline, at treatment completion, and at three other points during the 2 years from baseline.

Inclusion criteria

• Self-reported body image concerns

Exclusion criteria

• Meets diagnostic and statistical manual (DSM-IV) criteria for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder