Research has confirmed that many women are dissatisfied with their bodies. Seen from a pastoral perspective, this study examines the women that are dissatisfied with their bodies. An empirical qualitative study was done to evaluate the spiritual women’s thoughts, feelings, causes and effects regarding their bodies. A comprehensive literature study was done to verify the results already found. Social science and theological literature were used to determine the ethology of bodily dissatisfaction, which confirmed that it is multifactorial. A variety of therapeutic aids were studied. Cognitive behavioural therapy appears to be the most effective for the women that are dissatisfied with their bodies. The eight cognitive behavioural steps indicated by Cash were thoroughly explored and the value thereof was confirmed. The therapeutic aids found by means of the study were furthermore researched and confirmed by the Word of God and theological literature. Every woman is an individual with an individual body image and must be approached as an individual holistic being. The six dimensions of Clinebell’s holistic-liberation growth model are important for the woman’s healing process, as well as maintaining a balanced, healthy life. The implications of the research include the six dimensions of Clinebell’s holisticliberation growth model, incorporated in a pastoral counselling method to assist the woman with her healing process. Her relationship with God and positive God-centred thinking patterns ought to be of vital importance to her. By integrating the eight steps of Cash’s cognitive behavioural therapy and the six dimensions of Clinebell’s holistic-liberation growth model, the researcher was able to develop a pragmatic diagram for the woman and therapist as a possible aid in her healing process. The researcher followed the four tasks of practical theology as theoretical framework, as explained by Osmer: · Descriptive-empirical Task – “What is going on?” · Interpretive Task – “Why is this going on?” · Normative Task – “What ought to be going on?” · Pragmatic Task – “How might we respond?” / PhD (Pastoral Studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The purpose of this study was to assess whether spiritual well-being and social support functioned as protective variables (moderators) for body dissatisfaction among college women. A hierarchical regression analysis was used to determine whether spiritual well-being and social support predicted body dissatisfaction, as well as if there was an interaction between the two variables. Approximately 100 female participants between the ages of 18 and 31 were recruited from the psychology department to participate in this study. Expanding the knowledge base on spiritual well-being, social support, and body dissatisfaction can facilitate awareness of preventative measures that may be beneficial to young women experiencing body dissatisfaction. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The research of Stice et al. (1994) and Stice and Shaw (1994) proposed several mechanisms that may mediate the adverse effects of media exposure to the thin ideal including internalization of the thin-ideal, negative affect, and body dissatisfaction. The purpose of this study was to extend initial research of Stice and Shaw (1994) by incorporating two forms of media (e.g., TV and Magazines) to assess the effects of exposure to the media portrayal of ideal body shape on women's mood, body satisfaction, and internalization of societal values concerning attractiveness. The relation of these variables to bulimic symptomatology was examined. The current study improved upon Stice and Shaw's study (1994) by matching participants' scores on BMI, level of negative affect, and level of body satisfaction before random assignment to the experimental conditions. Female undergraduates aged 18 to 25 years participated in premeasure (N = 198) and post measure (N = 164) conditions. Results from repeated mulitvariate analysis indicated media exposure to ideal-body images demonstrated no significant changes in women's affect, body satisfaction or endorsement of the thin ideal. Indirect support for the sociocultural theory of eating disorders was provided by multiple regression analyses that demonstrated lower levels of satisfaction with size and shape of body and higher levels of negative affect predicted bulimic symptomatology in women. Future research should determine which females are at greater risk than others for the development of body dissatisfaction, negative mood, and internalization of U.S. values of attractiveness in response to media related messages communicating a thin ideal.

Som sjuksköterska och annan vårdpersonal är det vanligt att möta individer som lever med stomi. För att kunna ge en god vård är det viktigt att ha kunskap och förståelse för dessa individers upplevelse av att leva med stomi. Denna kunskap krävs för att kunna anpassa omvårdnaden så att deras individuella behov tillgodoses. Syftet med studien var att belysa vuxna individers upplevelse av att leva med stomi. Metoden som användes var en systematisk litteraturstudie. Systematiska sökningar och kritisk granskning av aktuell forskningen utfördes. Resultatartiklarna var baserade på nio kvalitativa vetenskapliga artiklar som resulterade i fyra kategorier: en förändrad livssituation, upplevelsen av en förändrad kropp, stomins psykiska inverkan och stödets betydelse. Individerna upplevde svårigheter att anpassa sig och stomin medförde ett minskat självförtroende. Klädvalet hade påverkats.Individerna upplevde osäkerhet kring hanteringen av stomin. Gaser och läckage från stomin väckte känslor av skam. Stöd och information upplevdes viktigt. Studiens resultat visar att upplevelsen av att leva med stomi behöver uppmärksammas. Vidare forskning krävs för att ta reda på hur sjukvårdspersonalen ska kunna ge dessa individer en så god vård som möjligt utefter deras individuella behov. / As a nurse and other healthcare professionals, it is common to meet individuals living with a stoma. In order to provide good care, it is important to have knowledge and understanding of the individual's experience of living with a stoma. This knowledge is required to adapt the care so that their individual needs are met. The purpose of this study was to elucidate adult individuals' experience of living with a stoma. The method used was a systematic literature review. Systematic searches and critical review of the current research was conducted. The results articles were based on nine qualitative research articles that resulted in four categories: changes in life, the experience of a changed body, stoma psychological impact and Support role. The individuals experienced difficulties in adapting and stoma resulted in a decrease in self-confidence. The choice of clothes had been affected. Subjects experienced uncertainty about the handling of the stoma. Gases and leakage from the stoma aroused feelings of shame. Support and information was important. The study's results show that the experience of living with ostomy needs attention. Further research is needed to find out how healthcare professionals can provide these individuals with as good care as possible according to their individual needs.

I Sverige har frekvensen av fetma fördubblats sedan 1980-talet och fortsätter att öka. Individer med fetma tenderar att ha en negativ kroppsuppfattning i större utsträckning än normalviktiga personer. Patienters kroppsuppfattning efter fetmaoperation är komplex och är ett mindre utforskat område som behövs belysas. Syftet var att belysa vuxna patienters kroppsuppfattning efter en fetmaoperation. En allmän litteraturstudie genomfördes och tio vetenskapliga artiklar användes i resultatet. I resultatet framkom tre teman och fem kategorier. Följande teman var; Kroppsuppfattning relaterat till viktförlust, kroppsuppfattning relaterat till överflödig hud samt kroppsuppfattning relaterat till omgivningen. Kategorierna var; Den egna kroppen uppfattades positivt, den egna kroppen uppfattades negativt, överflödig hud uppfattades positivt och negativt, överflödig hud orsakade skamkänslor samt positiv och negativ verbal respons från omgivningen. Resultatet visar att fetmaoperationens påverkan på patienters kroppsuppfattning är individuell. Det behövs vidare forskning för att avgöra de bakomliggande orsakerna till att vissa patienter får en positiv kroppsuppfattning medan andra präglas av en negativ kroppsuppfattning postoperativt. Fortsatt forskning kan underlätta sjuksköterskor identifiering av patienters individuella behov i avsikt att utföra hälsofrämjande omvårdnadsåtgärder. / The incidence of obesity has doubled in Sweden since 1980 and is still increasing. Individuals with obesity tends to have more of a negative body image than individuals with normal weight status. The body image of patients that have undergone bariatric surgery is complex and has not sufficiently been researched, therefore clarification is needed. The aim was to illustrate an adult patient’s body image after a bariatric surgery. A litterature study was conducted and ten scientific articles were used as a basis for the results. Three themes and five categories emerged. The themes were; Body image related to weight loss, Body image related to excessive skin and Body image related to ones surrounding. The categories were; The own body was percieved positively, The own body was percieved negatively, Excessive skin was percieved positively and negatively, Excessive skin caused feelings of shame and Positive and Negative verbal response from ones surrounding. The result shows that bariatric surgery’s impact on the patient’s body image is individual. Further scientific research is needed to determine the underlying causes to why some patients’ acquires a positive body image and to why other patients’ acquires a negative body image. Further research can help nurses to identify the patients’ individual needs in order to implement health promoting nursing interventions.

This was a study designed to investigate the effects of three independent variables in first-grade reading instruction on reading achievement and perceptual development. The independent variables included initial readiness level, type of instructional method, and sex of pupil. The major purpose of this study was to use an experimental setting to determine the relative effects of a multi-sensory perceptual training program combined with a basal-instruction program, as contrasted to an entirely conventional basal-reading program, on first-grade reading achievement and perceptual development during a school year.

Myten om att styrketräning är fysiskt skadligt för barn och ungdomar har motbevisats i vetenskapliga studier. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur unga män (16-20 år) upplever att deras psykiska hälsa påverkas av styrketräning. Studien bygger på 13 djupintervjuer med styrketränande unga män. Materialet analyserades genom meningskoncentrering. Resultatet visar att hos styrketränande unga män (1) uppstår positiva och negativa känslor, (2) är teknik, kost, sömn och struktur viktigt, (3) påverkas självbilden av strävan efter muskler, (4) påverkas självbilden av strävan efter en bättre version av sig själv, (5) varierar självkänslan, (6) finns medvetenhet om kroppen, (7) finns en strävan efter bättre utseende och (8) uppnås specifika resultat. En strävan efter något bättre genomsyrar studien som i sin tur har effekt på den psykiska hälsan. Ytterligare forskning behövs för att undersöka om långvariga konsekvenser på den psykiska hälsan föreligger.

Appearances and first impressions are deceiving. My figurines represent the twisted world where everything on the surface appears to be perfect, but there are skeletons in everyone's closet.

Religiousness is one potential, understudied psychosocial correlate of eating disorders. To assess associations between religiousness and eating disorders, this study developed the Religious Attendance and Belief Scale (Rel-AB), and examined its psychometric properties. Women from a large population-based sample (N = 1510; M(age) = 42.5) completed subscales measuring (1) belief in a personal and loving God, and (2) attendance at religion-related activities, as well as eating disorder measures. Belief was negatively associated with eating disorder symptomatology among women meeting broadly defined criteria for bulimia nervosa. Eating disorders and religiousness were not associated in the overall sample, and associations were largely nonsignificant among participants meeting criteria for other eating disorders. Overall, results indicated that the Rel-AB Scale has good psychometric properties and is useful for the assessment of religiousness in both research and treatment settings. The utility of including religiousness in the conceptualization of an individual and potential treatment options is discussed.

Despite growing awareness of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and educational efforts to provide accurate information about sexually transmitted diseases (STD), young adults continue to engage in risky sexual practices that increase their vulnerability of acquiring an STD, including inconsistent condom use. Research has gathered ample evidence to suggest that the media, in particular television consumption, is directly linked with sexual risk, yet less is known about the potential mechanisms that may be driving this link. The present study examines body image and gender role attitudes as two potential mediators of this relationship. Three-hundred and four undergraduate students (73% female; 64% White) at a large, urban University completed questionnaires to assess television influence, body image, gender role attitudes, and sexual behavior, through an online-survey tool. Results yielded significant correlations among several predictors and condom use, although mediation was not achieved. Limitations, implications of the findings, and directions for future research are discussed.