Eating disorders (EDs) cause irreversible physical damage, including organ failure and death. Although EDs receive considerable attention, the number of affected young women who seek help remains low. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the sociocultural and socioenvironmental factors influencing ED development from the perspective of young women, and to explore why the rate of EDs continues to rise in this population. The sociocultural model served as a guide for the study. Ten young women 18-24 years old from Southwest Ohio participated in in-depth, semi structured, face-to-face interviews. Data coding and analysis revealed recurring themes, with findings indicating that family relationships and social media were major factors influencing young women's perceptions of personal image and attractiveness. Participants described that social media's negative portrayal of beauty leads to internalization of the thin-ideal, leading to body dissatisfaction, with subsequent negative dieting behaviors that increase the risk for eating disorder development. Family relationships were described as the main source of positive support to neutralize these external negative forces by creating environments where these young women are accepted. A combination of media, availability of fast food, and society's portrayal of beauty, had significant influences on ED development by creating "constant internal struggles" on body image, good food choices and acceptance in society. The study impacts social change by adding new information for public health program developers and policy makers that may be used to introduce ED programs in local schools that will empower these young women to seek help without fear of stigma or alienation.

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It has become increasingly common to reconstruct the body with plastic surgery, but despite the increased scope of practice and a more liberal attitude to it, many who have undergone plastic surgery are branded as immoral and false. The purpose of the study is to increase the understanding of young women's driving forces to perform plastic surgery and whether plastic surgery is perceived to be normalized or stigmatized. Previous research shows that the progress of plastic surgery is based on technical and medical development but also on male expectations of the female ideal body. Plastic surgery contributes to the creation of an unattainable beauty ideal, and body dissatisfaction is one of the most common motives for wanting to perform plastic surgery. The empirical material for this study is based on qualitative interviews with young women who have undergone various types of beauty procedures. The study's theoretical framework consists of Anthony Giddens theory of modernity and the body as a reflexive project, the objectification theory of Barbara Fredrickson and Tomi-Ann Roberts, Pierre Bourdieu's theory of the construction of woman as a perceived being and Erving Goffman's concept of stigma. The results of the study show that the interviewees have undergone plastic surgery to meet the expectations of an attractive female appearance, at the same time the appearance should look natural as there is a stigma around plastic surgery. / Det har blivit allt vanligare att rekonstruera kroppen med hjälp av plastikkirurgiska ingrepp, men trots praktikens ökade omfattning och en mer liberal inställning till den blir många som har genomfört skönhetsingrepp stämplade som omoraliska och falska. Syftet med denna studie är att öka förståelsen för unga kvinnors drivkrafter till att genomföra skönhetsingrepp samt huruvida skönhetsingrepp upplevs vara normaliserat eller stigmatiserat. Tidigare forskning visar att plastikkirurgins framfart grundar sig i den tekniska och medicinska utvecklingen men också i manliga förväntningar på den kvinnliga idealkroppen. Skönhetsingrepp bidrar till skapandet av ett ouppnåeligt skönhetsideal och kroppsmissnöje är ett av det vanligaste motivet till att vilja genomföra plastikkirurgiska ingrepp. Det empiriska materialet för denna studie baseras på kvalitativa intervjuer med unga kvinnor som har genomfört olika slags skönhetsingrepp. Studiens teoretiska ramverk består av Anthony Giddens teori om moderniteten och kroppen som reflexivt projekt, objektifieringsteorin av Barbara Fredrickson och Tomi-Ann Roberts, Pierre Bourdieus teori om konstruktionen av kvinnan som ett varseblivet vara och Erving Goffmans definition av begreppet stigma. Resultaten från studien visar att intervjupersonerna har genomfört skönhetsingrepp för att uppfylla förväntningarna på ett attraktivt kvinnligt utseende, samtidigt ska utseendet se naturligt ut då det finns ett stigma kring skönhetsingrepp.

La forte prévalence des troubles des conduites alimentaires (TCA) chez les jeunes femmes et les faibles taux de rémission suite à un traitement ont encouragé les chercheurs à mieux comprendre les facteurs impliqués dans ce trouble mental. L’un des premiers modèles à mettre l’emphase sur des traits de personnalité associés au développement d’un TCA a été proposé par Hilde Bruch (1962, 1973, 1978) et a toujours une grande influence dans la recherche actuelle. Le modèle de Bruch inclue trois facteurs, soit l’insatisfaction corporelle, l’inefficacité et la conscience intéroceptive. Le but de cette thèse est d’apporter un support empirique au modèle de Bruch. En se basant sur une revue extensive des écrits scientifiques, cette thèse vise aussi à déterminer si deux facteurs reliés, soit l’alexithymie et le sentiment d’efficacité personnelle face à l’adoption de conduites alimentaires saines, améliorent la précision du modèle dans la prédiction de symptômes de TCA. Pour répondre empiriquement à cette question, il était d’abord nécessaire de disposer d’un questionnaire évaluant le sentiment d’efficacité personnelle en lien avec les conduites alimentaires qui peut être utilisé dans tout le spectre de présentation des TCA. Ainsi, le Eating Disorder Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (EDRSQ) a été adapté en français et ses propriétés psychométriques ont été évaluées. Une analyse factorielle confirmatoire a révélé une structure bi-factorielle, soit le sentiment d’efficacité personnelle en lien avec l’insatisfaction corporelle et avec l’adoption d’une alimentation normative. Chaque échelle a démontré une bonne fiabilité ainsi qu’une validité de construit cohérente avec la théorie. Par la suite, la capacité des facteurs proposés par Bruch à prédire les symptômes de TCA a été évaluée et comparée à des adaptations du modèle découlant des écrits. Au total, 203 étudiantes de premier cycle universitaire ont complété les versions validées en français du Eating Disorder Inventory 2, du Eating Attitudes Test, et du Toronto Alexithymia Scale en plus du EDRSQ. Les résultats montrent que le modèle de Bruch explique 46% de la variance des symptômes de TCA. Alors que l’insatisfaction corporelle et la conscience intéroceptive démontrent chacun une contribution importante dans la prédiction des symptômes de TCA, il a été démontré que l’inefficacité présente seulement une contribution spécifique négligeable. Le modèle de Bruch est amélioré par la substitution de l’inefficacité par le sentiment d’efficacité personnelle tel que mesuré par le EDRSQ; le modèle explique alors 64% de la variance des symptômes de TCA. Finalement, cette étude démontre que l’alexithymie n’a pas de contribution spécifique dans la prédiction des symptômes de TCA. Ainsi, la combinaison d’une faible conscience intéroceptive, de l’insatisfaction corporelle et d’un faible sentiment d’efficacité personnelle en lien avec les conduites alimentaires est fortement associée aux symptômes de TCA dans un échantillon non-clinique de jeunes femmes. Finalement, les implications conceptuelles et cliniques de ces résultats sont discutées. / High prevalence of Eating Disorders (EDs) amongst young women and poor treatment outcome rates have urged researchers to better understand premorbid factors involved in the pathology. One of the first models to emphasize premorbid personality factors in order to explain eating disorders was proposed by Hilde Bruch (1962, 1973, 1978) and is still very influential in today’s literature. Bruch’s model included three factors, namely body dissatisfaction, ineffectiveness and interoceptive awareness. The purpose of this thesis was to provide an empirical validation of Bruch’s theoretical model. Based on the literature, this thesis also aimed to determine if two related concepts, namely alexithymia and eating self-efficacy, improved the accuracy of the model in predicting ED symptoms. To empirically answer this question, it was first deemed necessary to have an eating self-efficacy questionnaire that could be used within all the spectrum of ED pathology. Therefore, the Eating Disorder Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (EDRSQ) was adapted to French and its’ psychometric properties were assessed. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed a bi-factorial structure, which were Body Image Self-Efficacy and Normative Eating Self-Efficacy. Both scales demonstrated evidence of reliability and theoretically consistent evidence of construct validity. Afterwards, Bruch’s factors ability to predict ED symptoms was assessed and then compared to empirically driven adaptations of the model. A total of 203 undergraduate females completed the Eating Disorder Inventory 2, Eating Attitudes Test, and Toronto Alexithymia Scale, as well as the EDRSQ. The results indicated that Bruch’s model accounted for 46% of the variance in eating symptomatology. While body dissatisfaction and interoceptive awareness both demonstrated an important contribution in predicting ED symptomatology, ineffectiveness was found to have a negligible specific contribution. Bruch’s model was improved by substituting ineffectiveness with eating self-efficacy as measured by the EDRSQ; it then accounted for 64% of the variance in eating disorder symptoms. Finally, this study demonstrated that alexithymia was not a specific predictor of eating disorder symptoms. Thus, a combination of lack of interoceptive awareness, body dissatisfaction and low eating self-efficacy is strongly associated with symptoms of eating disorders in a non-clinical sample of women. Finally, the conceptual and clinical implications of these findings were discussed.

The purpose of this study was to examine what factors contribute to and result from body dissatisfaction using the theoretical framework of the Tripartite Model of Influence, which included family, peer, and media influence. Participants were recruited from SONA and student organizations and participated in an online survey (N =148). A MANCOVA indicated that Asian and White females did not differ in body dissatisfaction and other health outcomes. Thin-ideal internalization mediated the relationships between media influence, peer influence, and body dissatisfaction among Asian American females. Moderation analyses indicated that ethnic identity, Asian American identity, and acculturation did not moderate the relationship between the three tripartite influences and body dissatisfaction. Finally, a series of multiple regressions indicated that body dissatisfaction significantly predicted disordered eating, cosmetic surgery endorsement, and cigarette use among Asian Americans. Findings suggest that Asian American body dissatisfaction may be more related to Western influence than current literature shows.

Disordered eating, including bingeing, dieting, purging, and clinical and subclinical forms of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, is prevalent among college-aged women. To date, few interventions have successfully reduced risk factors related to disordered eating. One promising intervention utilizes principles of cognitive dissonance to reduce thin-ideal internalization among women at risk for eating disorders. Additionally, the benefits of yoga, including increased awareness of bodily processes, offer hope that this practice might reduce disordered eating symptomatology. The current study compared cognitive dissonance and yoga interventions for disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that there were no significant differences between the yoga and control groups. However, participants in the dissonance group had significantly lower scores than both other groups on measures of disordered eating symptoms as well as thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, alexithymia, and anxiety. These findings have important implications for potential interventions on college campuses.

En negativ kroppsuppfattning är vanligare bland kvinnliga atleter inom sporter som kräver låg kroppsvikt och/eller kroppsfettprocent än övriga populationen (Goldfield, 2009; Kong & Harris, 2015). Kroppsmissnöje kan leda till ohälsosamma beteenden som överdriven träning, störda ätbeteenden eller dietbeteenden för att förändra kroppen samt undvikande beteenden (Grogan, 2006).Syftet med den befintliga studien var att undersöka Bikini Fitness-atleters erfarenheter och upplevelser av kroppsuppfattning kopplat till sporten och tävling. Sammanlagt deltog sex kvinnliga Bikini Fitness-atleter från södra Sverige i åldrarna 23–27 år (M=25, SD=1,29), som samtliga intervjuades individuellt i cirka 60 minuter. I studien av kvalitativ design analyserades den insamlade data genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys utifrån riktlinjer av Lundman och Hällgren-Graneheim (2012). Resultatet visade att det fanns erfarenheter av kroppsmissnöje relaterat till Bikini Fitness, då deltagarna rapporterade upplevelser som kan relateras till positiv men också negativ kroppsuppfattning. Detta stämde överens med tidigare forskning som konstaterat kroppsmissnöje bland atleter inom kroppsbyggnadssporten (Chaba, D’Arripe-Longueville, Scoffier-Mériaux & Lentillon-Kaestner, 2018).Den aktuella studien kan eventuellt bidra med meningsfull kunskap gällande Bikini Fitness-atleters upplevelser av kroppsuppfattning relaterat till sporten och tävling samt bidra till en djupare förståelse för Bikini Fitness som disciplin, hur deltagare i sporten upplever de olika momenten och perioderna samt när de behöver extra socialt stöd. / A negative body image is more common among female athletes in leanness-sports compared to the general population (Goldfield, 2009; Kong & Harris, 2015). Body dissatisfaction can lead to unhealthy behaviors like excessive exercise, disordered eating or dieting to change the body and avoidance (Grogan, 2006).The aim of the current study was to examine Bikini Fitness athlete’s experience of body image associated with the sport and competition. Totally six female Bikini Fitness athletes of age 23-27 (M=25, SD=1,29) from southern Sweden participated in an individual interview of approximately 60 minutes. In the qualitative study, the data was analysed in a qualitative content analysis by guidelines of Lundman and Hällgren-Graneheim (2012). The result showed that the athletes experienced body dissatisfaction related to Bikini Fitness and reported experiences related to both a positive and a negative body image. Moreover, the result was in line with previous research that discovered body dissatisfaction among athletes in the physique sport(Chaba et al., 2018). The current study may contribute with meaningful knowledge regarding Bikini Fitness-athlete’s experiences of body image related to the sport and competition. Also, to create a deeper understanding of Bikini Fitness as a discipline and how the different elements and periods is experienced by the athletes in the sport and when they need extra social support.

The body perception of humans varies across situations and is influenceable. A negative body image is existing among both men and women of all ages. The adaptation to mimic an unhealthy body ideal is difficult without regulated diet and exercise. Physical activity is therefore considered to be a strong motive for body image management. The aim of the study was to investigate the extent to which college students' body image is associated with motivational factors to exercise and frequency of exercise. The study consists of a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional study. Data for the study were collected through a survey which was collected by a total of 112 questionnaires by university students at Mälardalen University. The data was analyzed with frequency tables, pearsons r and an independent sample t-test in the computer program SPSS. The study's findings and conclusions show that the college students' motivational factors to exercise consisted mainly of internal training motives and that most of the college students have a positive body image. It was also a connection between motivational factors and body image, but no significant difference between body image and college students who train frequently or less frequently. The conclusion is that college students have a positive body image, which does not differ if the individual is practicing often or rarely. The most common motivation factor to exercise is to train internal training motives.