None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Poor body image is a hallmark feature in the development of disordered eating behaviours, as well as other significant mental health concerns. This association however appears bidirectional. For example, previous studies have implicated several underlying psychological mechanisms as potential key gearwheels that has been incriminated in the development, escalation and maintenance of poor body image. Further, recent experimental has shown that neurocognitive processes (how we think, not just what we think) play a pivotal role in body image pathology. The original Body Project is an empirically proven peer-led group intervention programme that has shown to be efficacious in improving thin-body internalization in young women. In the current study, we propose a novel study to compare the efficacy of “The Body Project by comparing it to a “Body Plus Project” (the original Body Project plus an additional component of brain training in 96 women, (aged 18-35) in the Australian student and community sample. We aim to investigate and elucidate important, previously under-researched psychological and neurocognitive risk factors that have been incriminated in the development, escalation and maintenance of poor body image and related comorbidities. at post-treatment, 3-month and 6-month follow-up compared to the Body Project group. We also plan to obtain participant experience feedback to determine implementation aspects for further iterations of this intervention.
Interventions
We aim to conduct a novel randomised controlled trial (two arms) to compare the efficacy of “The Body Project- Active Control Arm”, by comparing it to a “Body Plus Project- Experimental Arm” (the original Body Project plus an additional component of metacognitive training in 96 women, (aged 18-35) in the Australian student and community sample. We aim to investigate and elucidate important, previously under-researched psychological and neurocognitive risk factors that have been implicated in the
We aim to conduct a novel randomised controlled trial (two arms) to compare the efficacy of “The Body Project- Active Control Arm”, by comparing it to a “Body Plus Project- Experimental Arm” (the original Body Project plus an additional component of metacognitive training in 96 women, (aged 18-35) in the Australian student and community sample. We aim to investigate and elucidate important, previously under-researched psychological and neurocognitive risk factors that have been implicated in the development, escalation and maintenance of poor body image and related comorbidities. We also plan to obtain participant experience feedback post intervention to determine implementation aspects for further iterations of this intervention. The metacognitive training (puzzles, paper-pen tasks, group brainstorming) will take place for 15 minutes at the beginning of each of the first three sessions, lasting for 15 minutes. The 4th and the last session will include 20 minutes of metacognitive training at the beginning of the session. This metacognitive module will consist of face to face in-session activities that have been designed to strengthen cognitive styles (how we think). Participants will be asked to either work in pairs or individually with these activities. Brief homework activities have been designed based on previous empirical findings. As this is a co-led intervention, peer leaders will be trained to deliver the metacognitive module by an academic clinical psychologist and researcher Dr. Jayanthi Raman. Given this is a pilot study, we will assess participant experience at post-completion of the group intervention. Arm 2 Experimental Arm: The Body Project Plus. Sessions 1-3: The original 60 minutes of Body Project developed by Eric Stice, Paul Rohde & Heather Shaw, compressed to 45 minutes (sessions 1-3) and to 40 minutes (session 4)- delivered in co-led group format over 4 consecutive weeks by peer educators (who have undergone Body Project training by a trained clinical psychologist) and a clinical psychologist (who has undergone Body Project training with Eric Stice. PLUS 15 minutes of the MetaMind (Metacognitive training) pilot module in sessions 1-3 and 20 minutes in session 4, developed by Dr. Jay Raman and Prof. Camilla Dahlgren. A hallmark feature of this intervention manual is the theme-congruent metacognitive training. Each brain-directed training component will be accompanied by a metacognitive training component that is directly related to a body image related concern, thereby forming meaningful connectivity between the metacognitive learning and the pragmatics of everyday body image challenges faced by young women. Groups of 6-8 participants 4 sessions @ 60 min/week for 4 weeks. MetaMind Session 1: Theme: Cognitive Flexibility & Attentional Bias - 15 minutes. Introduction, Icebreaker exercises, Game: Focus Flip/Attentional Switch- Work in pairs and group brainstorm, Homework. MetaMind Session 2: Recap, Homework discussion, Theme Attentional Bias. Game: Spot it/Selective Attention- Work in pairs and group brainstorm. MetaMind Session 3: Theme: New ways of thinking. Game 1: Random Generation- Work in pairs and group brain storm; Game 2: Pebble story generator. Pair-work and group brainstorm. MetaMind Session 4: Theme Central Coherence- The All of Everything- 10 minutes, Story reading- Individual exercise followed by group brainstorm; Letter to group leaders- Consolidation exercise. The duration of all homework sessions would range between 10 and 15 minutes each week.
Sponsors
School of Psychological Sciences, University of Newcastle
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Primary purpose
Prevention
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 35 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Aged 18 to 35 years old, identify as a woman, BMI > 18.5, living in Australia, can read, write and speak in English, able to attend 4 weekly, 60 minute intervention.
Exclusion criteria
Less than 18 years old, older than 35 years, not living in Australia, insufficient command of the English language, current serious mental health diagnosis (severe depression, suicidality, psychosis) and head injuries and/or neurological conditions. Given the high prevalence of eating disorders and problematic eating behaviours in the wider community, we have decided not to include Eating Disorders in Exclusion criteria. Individuals living with underweight (<18.5) however will be excluded from study participation.
Outcome results
None listed