Acceptance and Body Dissatisfaction: Examining the Efficacy of a Brief Acceptance Based Intervention for Body Dissatisfaction in College Women.

BACKGROUND: Body dissatisfaction among college women is concerning given its high prevalence and associated negative consequences. While cognitive-behavioral approaches to reducing body dissatisfaction have considerable support, it may be beneficial to target the problematic relationship that some individuals have with their internal experiences. AIMS: To examine the relative efficacy of an acceptance-based compared to a cognitive restructuring approach to targeting body dissatisfaction.
METHOD: College women were randomly assigned to an acceptance (n = 21), cognitive restructuring (n = 21) or a neutral comparison condition (n = 24). Participants completed a body dissatisfaction challenge postintervention and their dissatisfaction, distress about body-related thoughts and emotions, and the extent they felt defined by their outward appearance were measured.
RESULTS: Both approaches provided a protective effect against decreases in body satisfaction and related feelings.
CONCLUSION: Acceptance and CBT approaches to treating body dissatisfaction are worthy of future investigation.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes