Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
Identifier
ETD_3746
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
electronic resource
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
v, 41 p. : ill.
Note (type = degree)
M.S.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Note (type = statement of responsibility)
by Julia A. West
Abstract (type = abstract)
This study pilots the feasibility and effectiveness of two theoretically distinct, brief approaches to mirror exposure (ME)—a treatment for body dissatisfaction—against an ecologically-valid control condition with respect to improving body and appearance satisfaction and mood. Female undergraduates (N = 32) exhibiting clinical-level shape and weight concerns were randomized to complete a scripted, 5 minute ME exercise in either a mindfulness-based (MB; n = 11), cognitive-dissonance-based (CD; n = 10), or mirror-as-usual control (MAU; n = 11) condition. The MB condition focused on the nonjudgmental aspect of the Delinsky and Wilson (2006) mindfulness-based ME protocol, while the CD condition was adapted from an evidence-based eating disorders prevention program (Stice and Presnell, 2007). Participants completed the Satisfaction with Body Parts Scale (SBPS) and Visual Analog (VAS) measures of weight and appearance satisfaction, and mood and anxiety at baseline and post-intervention. ME exercises were recorded and coded for adherence to the scripted instructions. The present study is one of the first to pilot such a brief format of these ME approaches, as well as to directly compare two distinct ME approaches to an ecologically-valid control condition in women with clinical-level shape and weight concerns. Mixed model ANCOVAs indicated no change in VAS mood, anxiety, body anxiety, body feelings, and appearance satisfaction from baseline to posttest for any of the three conditions. A main effect of time was observed for VAS weight satisfaction, with all 3 conditions exhibiting an improvement in weight satisfaction from baseline to post-test, F (1, 28) = 9.701, p = 0.004, partial eta-squared = 0.26. A significant time by condition interaction was observed for the Satisfaction with Body Parts scale, F (2, 28) = 3.778, p = 0.035, partial eta-squared = 0.02. Post-hoc analyses revealed the CD condition resulted in significantly greater decreases in body dissatisfaction from baseline to posttest, than both the MB condition, and the MAU control condition, while the MB and MAU conditions did not differ from one another. Results are discussed within the context of the feasibility of using one session ME, as well as using an active mirror control as a comparison group.
Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
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License
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Author Agreement License
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I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.