Body Image, Eating Behaviors, Interoception, Self-Compassion
Conditions
Brief summary
Nature exposure has been found to be particularly beneficial for body image, as recent studies have identified a positive association between time spent in nature and positive body image. Positive body image, defined as the ability to accept and respect one's body, has been linked to greater life satisfaction and engagement in healthy behaviors. Conversely, negative body image is recognized as a public health concern due to its detrimental effects on both physical and mental health. It has been associated with symptoms of Body Image Disorders (BIDs), including Eating Disorders (EDs) and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). The Nature for Body Image (NBI) project aimed to examine the impact of a structured nature exposure intervention on improving body image among young women aged 18-35 years.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALNature for Body Image
The intervention will include a range of activities in nature (e.g., in a public park), such as meditation, body scans, and grounding exercises.
BEHAVIORALSimple nature exposure
The intervention will simply involve spending time in nature (e.g., in a public park), without specific guidelines.
BEHAVIORALStructured Built Environment Exposure
The intervention will mirror the activities of the structured nature exposure intervention (e.g., meditation, body scans, and grounding exercises), but without any exposure to nature.
Sponsors
University of Padova
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 35 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Females * Age 18-35 years old
Exclusion criteria
* Full-blown body image disorder
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Negative Body Image | 5 weeks | Assessed with the Italian - Body Image Concern Inventory (I-BICI), a 19-item self-report questionnaire measuring negative body image. Scores range from 19 to 95, with higher scores indicating greater negative body image. |
| Body Appreciation | 5 weeks | Assessed with the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2), a 10-item self-report questionnaire measuring body appreciation. Scores range from 10 to 50, with higher scores indicating greater body appreciation. |
| Functionality appreciation | 5 weeks | Assessed with the Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS), a 7-item self-report questionnaire measuring functionality appreciation. Scores range from 7 to 35, with higher scores indicating greater functionality appreciation. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Interoceptive Awareness | 5 weeks | Assessed with the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA), a 32-item self-report questionnaire measuring interoceptive awareness. Scores range from 0 to 160, with higher scores indicating greater interoceptive awareness. |
| Dysfunctional Eating Behaviours and Risk of Developing Eating Disorders | 5 weeks | Assessed with the Eating Disorder Risk Composite Score (EDRC) of the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3). The Eating Disorder Risk Composite Score (EDRC) investigates the risk of developing eating disorders with 25 items. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater risk of developing eating disorders. |
| Self-compassion | 5 weeks | Assessed with the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), a 26-item self-report questionnaire measuring self-compassion. Scores range from 26 to 130, with higher scores indicating greater self-compassion. |
| Functional Eating Behaviors | 5 weeks | Assessed with the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2), a 23-item self-report questionnaire measuring intuitive eating. Scores range from 23 to 115, with higher scores indicating greater intuitive eating. |
| Embodiment | 5 weeks | Assessed with the Experience of Embodiment Scale (EES), a 34-item self-report questionnaire measuring embodiment. Scores range from 34 to 170, with higher scores indicating greater embodiment. |
Countries
Italy
Contacts
Primary ContactSilvia Cerea, PhD
Outcome results
None listed