Negative effects of oophorectomy (castration, or removal of the ovaries) on a woman's sexual functioning, mood and body image have been documented in previous studies, but these studies did not measure vaginal blood flow and often did not include a non-surgical control group. Five groups of women aged 35 to 55 years were studied, a non-surgical control group (CTL), a hysterectomy-only group (TAH, at least one ovary intact) and three oophorectomy groups: an untreated group (BSO), women on estrogen-replacement therapy (ERT) and women on androgen-estrogen replacement therapy (HRT). The interview/questionnaire assessed mood, body image and sexual functioning (sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, interpersonal sexual activities). In a second session completed by 58 and 129 subjects (45%), a vaginal photoplethysmograph measured vaginal blood flow in response to an erotic stimulus while subjects concurrently monitored subjective arousal. Overall, the BSO and ERT groups had significantly lower self-reported desire and arousal. Body image as measured by a new scale, 'body comfort', was significantly poorer in the BSO group. The hysterectomy groups had more sexual problems than the control group. Further, about a third of the CTL group reported positive changes in body image and sexuality in the previous 5 years. This effect was attenuated in the TAH, HRT and ERT groups and almost absent in the BSO group. No significant group differences were obtained however, on mood, or vaginal blood flow and subjective arousal to an erotic stimulus. Vaginal blood flow and subjective arousal were significantly correlated. The possibility that these findings may be due to differential levels of testosterone in the various groups is discussed.

Body-related envy is an understudied emotion that may be linked with adverse psychophysiological outcomes such as stress (Smith & Kim, 2007). The purpose of this study was to explore body-related envy and psychophysiological response of stress among young adult females. Participants (N = 47; Mage = 21.6 ± 1.8 yrs) completed a weeklong assessment of phenomenological body-related envy, trait body image constructs and an acute laboratory stress-induction task. Findings support the hypothesis that negative body image constructs predict experiences of body-related envy (R2 = 0.17 - 0.54), and that envy can be reliability assessed using phenomenological ratings. Body-related envy was a significant predictor of psychological appraisals of stress (R2 = 0.24 - 0.31), but the proposed associations with physiological stress were not supported. Considering the adverse health outcomes associated with envy (Smith, et al., 1999) and stress (Anderson, 1998), this study has important implications for women’s psychological and physical health.

I tidigare forskning visas ett samband mellan framställningen av kvinnor i media och kvinnors självbildsuppfattning. Studier har även gjorts med fokus på män där ett samband mellan media och mäns självbild visas. Studien avser undersöka om det finns ett samband mellan medias framställning av ideala modeller och unga vuxnas syn på kroppslig självbild, samt hur mediaanvändning skiljer sig mellan könen och om användningen har en effekt på kroppslig självbild. En enkätundersökning med 90 deltagare (43 kvinnor och 47 män) i ålder 18-30 utfördes. Deltagarna fick fylla i en internetenkät med antingen ideala bilder, alldagliga bilder eller en enkät utan bilder. Mätinstrumentet som används är The Body Self Esteem Scale. Inget signifikant resultat gavs kring effekten av bildexponering, däremot hittades signifikanta skillnader mellan könen på olika BES-Items, däribland lår, vikt och midja. Det förväntade mönstret återspeglade sig i resultatet, om än inte signifikant. I resultatdiskussionen diskuteras studiens svagheter såsom den korta exponeringen av bilderna.

No description available.

Weight perception discrepancy, the difference between a person’s medically classified weight status and their weight status as classified by their body mass index, is a growing problem. Such misperceptions of weight may be a barrier to treatment for weight-related health conditions. Youth who are overweight, but do not feel they are, may be less likely to initiate treatment which places them at a higher risk for many obesity related health conditions. Similarly, youth who are underweight, but do not feel they are, may be at risk for negative health conditions. Social Comparison Theory may provide a tool for evaluating identified discrepancies. Given that minorities have higher obesity rates, it is hypothesized that weight perception discrepancy is higher among these groups as the comparison is with a heavier than normal peers it may be skewed. This study used the Center for Disease Control’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System from 2009 to evaluate weight perception discrepancy among Caucasian, African American and Latino youth. Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate discrepancies between these groups. Findings indicated that weight perception discrepancy varied by both gender and ethnicity. Females were more likely to over-estimate their weight category and Latino and African American males were more likely to under-estimate their weight category. Caucasian males were used as the comparison group for all estimations. Social Comparison Theory may provide a plausible explanation for the weight perception discrepancy differences identified for both minorities and females.

Thesis (MPsych(Clin))--University of South Australia, 1997

The purpose of this study was to examine how body image, Body Mass Index (BMI), self-esteem and eating attitudes were related in a non-clinical sample of New Zealand women. The sample consisted of 36 women ranging in age from 17 to 55 years of age. Body image was assessed using the Body Shape Questionnaire, BMI was calculated based on measures of height and weight; eating attitudes was assessed with the Eating Concern subscale of the Eating Disorders Examination and self-esteem was assessed using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The results of this study conclude that elevated BMI is associated with higher dissatisfaction with body image, and there is a positive correlation between body image and eating attitudes. Self-esteem and eating attitudes were significantly correlated with lower self-esteem being associated with increased disturbance in eating attitudes. Self-esteem and BMI were found to significantly contribute to eating attitudes on their own as well as together. Body image on its own also made a significant contribution to eating attitudes. Previous research informs us of the negative implications of dissatisfaction with body image, elevated BMI, disturbed eating attitudes and low-self-esteem and this study examines the links between these variables in order to add further information to what contributes to each of the variables. These findings were discussed in light of sociocultural theories of eating disorders and their implications to women from nonclinical populations.

This thesis offers an exploration of the discourse of weight control and examines how its concepts and goals are incorporated into the way people perceive and understand the self and others. The central focus is an analysis of the nexus between weight control and concerns surrounding ‘excess’ weight. The analysis reveals the way discourses on the balanced body, the normalised body, the healthy body, the natural body and the transformative body generate varying understandings of the normal, weight-controlled body and overweight body and in turn, how they give rise to different weight watching practices. It shows how the different ways of viewing the body also engender various visualisations of the subjects of weight control. It is argued the discourse of weight control is not put into effect by subjugation but through the generation of a personal desire to be slender and weight-controlled. As such, the central inquiry of the thesis also gives consideration to the impacts which discourses of weight control might have upon individuals in the constitution of self and identity. A sub-theme of the analysis is a consideration of the possibilities people have to engage with the discourse of weight control, in particular those who are considered overweight. Particular attention is paid throughout to the relationship between women and weight control. The findings are predominantly based upon content analysis of a broad range of primary texts including medico-scientific texts, historical material, policy and public health documents, and popular written and audiovisual media. The research is also informed to a less extent by participant observation at two weight loss centres and by semi-structured in-depth interviews with 13 women considered ‘overweight’ by current standards.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc. Psychology)--University of Waikato, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-61) Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Psychology, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.