Changing Body Image Through Guided Self-Help: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Six women attended a closed Body Image group on a fortnightly basis throughout a six-month period. Meetings focused on attitudes to and perception of self and body. Training in relaxation was given, and group members were encouraged to acknowledge personal needs, to identify situations resulting in negative thoughts concerning the body, and to develop more appropriate coping skills. Participants completed questionnaires measuring general anxiety and body satisfaction and carried out a body-size estimation procedure. These measures were repeated at the concluding sessions and indicated that ⅚ subjects showed improvement in all areas. Individual interviews suggested links between life events and feelings about the body.