Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2008. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.A.)--Georgia State University, 2006. / Title from title screen. Layli Phillips, committee chair; Amira Jarmakani, Cassandra White, committee members. Electronic text (125 p.) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed May 2, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 109-118).

Thesis (doctoral)--La Salle University, 2003. / ProQuest dissertations and theses ; AAT 3108291. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 43-53).

Thesis (MNutr (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Human Nutrition))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Poor body image perception and body dissatisfaction has been found to be a risk factor for eating disorders. Studies have found that signs of distorted body image perception and body dissatisfaction can be detected in children as young as 8 or 9 years old. Aim: The current study served to assess the extent of this problem in Northeastern Johannesburg, South Africa, in order to allow for the necessary intervention steps (e.g. development of school-based programmes) to deal with this problem to be put in place. Method: The study was a cross-sectional analytical study with a descriptive component. Two hundred and four girls (81.37% Black, 15.20% White and 3.43% Coloured or Indian) aged between 96 and 119 months in primary schools in Northeastern Johannesburg were selected for this study using systematic random sampling. They were required to complete a questionnaire about their body image perception and weight control behaviours, as well as undergo anthropometric measurements (i.e. weight and height). Results: This study found that the subjects placed much importance on being thin, with subjects stating that they thought if a girl was thin she would be more popular (63.96%), have better self esteem (69.63%), be more attractive (69.11%), be more feminine (73.80%) and be healthier (66.84%). When asked to identify the girl from a silhouette drawing that most resembled themselves, 45.00% of the subjects were able to accurately identify which girl’s size most resembled their own, whereas 48.50% saw themselves as thinner than they are and 6.50% saw themselves as fatter than they are. In addition, the majority of subjects (69.61%) said that they were very happy with their weight and the majority (74.88%) classified it as “just right.” However, despite these findings, there was still significant body dissatisfaction evident in the group with 50.25% of the subjects wanting to be thinner, 28.57% wanting to be fatter and only 21.18% not wanting to be thinner or fatter than they currently are. Of the subjects participating in the study, 50.98% had tried to lose weight in the past and 28.71% had tried to gain weight. Also, various factors (i.e. media, cultural, family and peer influences), were shown to have a significant influence on the subjects’ body image perception. Other factors such as socioeconomic status and physical activity level had no significant link with the subjects’ body image perception. Conclusion: There is a significant problem with poor body image perception and resultant weight control behaviours in this age group. Clearly, there is a need for body image improvement programmes to be put in place in primary schools so as to prevent preadolescent girls from moving towards a lifetime of suffering with body dissatisfaction or, even worse, developing a life-threatening eating disorder. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: ’n Swak liggaamsbeeld en liggaamsontevredenheid is bekende risikofaktore vir die ontwikkeling van eetsteurnisse. Volgens studies kan tekens van ’n verwronge liggaamsbeeld en liggaamsontevredenheid reeds by jong kinders, van 8 of 9 jaar, bespeur word. Doel: Hierdie studie het gepoog om die omvang van dié probleem in die noordooste van Johannesburg, Suid-Afrika, te bepaal ten einde die nodige intervensiemaatreëls te tref (byvoorbeeld om skoolgebaseerde programme te ontwikkel) om die probleem die hoof te bied. Metode: Die studie is ’n dwarssnit analitiese studie met ’n beskrywende komponent. Met behulp van sistematiese, ewekansige steekproefneming is 204 laerskoolmeisies (81.37% Swart, 15.20% Wit en 3.43% Bruin of Indiër) van tussen 96 en 119 maande uit die noordooste van Johannesburg as proefpersone vir die studie gekies. Die meisies moes elk ’n vraelys oor hul liggaamsbeeld en gewigsbeheergedrag invul sowel as antropometriese meting van gewig en lengte ondergaan. Resultate: Die studie het gevind dat die proefpersone baie waarde daaraan heg om maer te wees. Hulle reken onder meer dat, indien ’n meisie maer is, sy waarskynlik gewilder sal wees (63.96%), ’n beter selfbeeld sal hê (69.63%), aantrekliker sal wees (69.11%), vrouliker (73.80%) en gesonder sal wees (66.84%). Toe hulle op ’n profielskets ’n meisie moes uitwys na wie hulle dink hulle die meeste lyk, kon 45.00% van die proefpersone akkuraat uitwys watter meisie se grootte die meeste met hulle s’n ooreenstem, terwyl 48.50% hulself as maerder en 6.50% hulself as vetter beskou het as wat hulle werklik is. Die meerderheid van die proefpersone (69.61%) was oënskynlik gelukkig met hul gewig en die meeste (74.88%) het hul gewig as “net reg” beskryf. Tog, ondanks dié bevindinge, was daar steeds beduidende liggaamsontevredenheid by die groep: 50.25% van die subjekte wil maerder wees, 28.57% vetter en slegs 21.18% nie maerder óf vetter as wat hulle tans is nie. Van die studiedeelnemers het 50.98% al voorheen probeer gewig verloor, terwyl 28.71% al probeer gewig aansit het. Verskeie faktore (soos media-, kulturele, gesins- en portuurinvloede) blyk ook ’n beduidende impak op die proefpersone se liggaamsbeeld te hê. Daarenteen toon ander faktore, soos sosio-ekonomiese status en vlak van fisieke aktiwiteit, geen wesenlike verband met die proefpersone se liggaamsbeeld nie. Gevolgtrekking: Hierdie ouderdomsgroep blyk ’n beduidende probleem met ’n gebrekkige liggaamsbeeld en gevolglike gewigsbeheergedrag te hê. Daar is duidelik ’n behoefte aan programme om laerskoolmeisies se liggaamsbeeld te verbeter ten einde te voorkom dat preadolessente meisies weens liggaamsontevredenheid ’n leeftyd van swaarkry tegemoetgaan of, selfs erger, ’n lewensgevaarlike eetsteurnis ontwikkel.

Thesis (MNutr)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Eating disorders are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in adolescent and young adult women. There is some evidence that Eating disorders may be more common in Jewish females than in their non-Jewish counterparts. Individuals with abnormal attitudes as defined by the Eating Attitudes Test (26-Item version) (EAT-26) are at increased risk of developing an eating disorder. School teachers are required to take an active role in the currently favoured ecological approach to the prevention of eating disorders. Objectives: The current study sought to determine the prevalence of abnormal eating attitudes and weight loss behaviours in a Jewish female adolescent sample and to investigate school teachers’ awareness of these factors and their attitudes towards a school programme to address these. Methods: A cross-sectional study of girls in grades 8 to 11 and teachers of both genders was undertaken at a “traditional” Jewish high school in Johannesburg, South Africa. A questionnaire consisting of the EAT-26 and a modified section of the United States Youth Risk Behaviour Survey (YRBS) was completed by pupils. A questionnaire developed by the researcher for the study was completed by teachers. Results: Two hundred and twenty pupils (response rate 84.3%) and 38 teachers (52.1%) participated. Twenty percent of pupils (n=43) had EAT-26 scores greater than or equal to 20 and 30.2% were found to require clinical evaluation for a potential eating disorder Thirty two point seven percent (n=72) of girls considered themselves to be overweight. Sixty four percent (n=139) were trying to lose weight at the time of the study and 19.1% (n=42) had engaged in one or more extreme methods of weight loss (fasting, purging or non-prescribed medication) in the past 12 months. Most teachers (81.6%, n=29) underestimated the proportion of girls requiring clinical evaluation and 71.1% (n=27) underestimated the extent of current weight loss attempts. Almost all (97.3%, n=37) the teachers recognised the need to address disordered eating attitudes and patterns in the school but only 34.2% (n=13) viewed the school as the appropriate place, would be prepared to participate and would give up class time. Conclusions: This is the first study to document the presence of abnormal eating attitudes among Jewish adolescent females in South Africa. The prevalence fell within the upper end of the range of rates reported in studies of adolescent girls in South Africa and abroad. Dieting and attempts at weight loss are common in this population and are also in keeping with the findings from international studies. This is the first study to measure teachers’ awareness of the eating attitudes and weight loss behaviours of girls attending the school at which they teach. The teachers participating in this study were not fully aware of the extent to which eating-related issues affect female pupils. Over and above this, there appears to be a resistance to facilitating and participating in a school programme addressing these issues. A qualitative exploration of this could yield valuable insights. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Eetstoornisse is 'n belangrike oorsaak van morbiditeit en mortaliteit in adolessente en jong volwasse vroue. Daar is bewyse dat Eetstoornisse meer algemeen mag voorkom in Joodse vroue vergeleke met hul nie-Joodse eweknieë. Individue met 'n abnormale houding soos gedefinieer deur die Eet-Houding-Toets (“Eating Attitudes Test”) (26-punt weergawe) (EAT-26) het 'n verhoogde risiko om 'n eetstoornis te ontwikkel. Daar word van onderwysers verwag om 'n aktiewe rol te speel in die ekologiese benadering om eetstoornisse te voorkom, wat tans voorkeur geniet. Doelstellings: Die huidige studie het gepoog om die voorkoms van abnormale houding en gedrag ten opsigte van eet en gewigsverlies in 'n steekproef van Joodse vroulike adolessente te bepaal, asook om ondersoek in te stel of onderwysers bewus is van hierdie faktore en hul houding teenoor 'n skoolprogram wat dit aanspreek. Metodes: 'n Dwarssnit studie van meisies in graad 8 tot 11 en onderwysers van beide geslagte was uitgevoer by 'n "tradisionele" Joodse hoërskool in Johannesburg, Suid-Afrika. 'n Vraelys bestaande uit die EAT-26 en 'n aangepasde afdeling van die “United States Youth Risk Behaviour Survey (YRBS)” is voltooi deur studente. Onderwysers het 'n vraelys voltooi wat vir die studie ontwikkel is deur die navorser. Resultate: Tweehonderd-en-twintig leerlinge (responskoers 84.3%) en 38 onderwysers (52.1%) het deelgeneem. Twintig persent van leerlinge (n=43) het EAT-26 tellings groter as of gelyk aan 20 gehad en daar was bevind dat 30.2% kliniese evaluering vir 'n potensiële eetstoornis benodig. Twee-en-dertig punt sewe persent (n=72) van meisies het hulself as oorgewig beskou. Vier-ensestig persent (n=139) het probeer om gewig te verloor ten tye van die studie en 19.1% (n=42) het betrokke geraak by een of meer ekstreme metodes van gewigsverlies (vas, purgasie of nievoorskrif medikasie) in die afgelope 12 maande. Meeste onderwysers (81.6%, n=29) onderskat die proporsie van meisies wat kliniese evaluasie benodig en 71.1% (n=27) onderskat die omvang van huidige gewigsverlies-pogings. Byna alle (97.3%, n=37) onderwysers het die behoefte erken dat versteurde houdings en eetpatrone aangespreek moet word, maar slegs 34,2% (n=13) beskou die skool as die geskikte plek daarvoor en sal bereid wees om deel te neem en klastyd af te staan. Gevolgtrekkings: Die teenwoordigheid van abnormale houding teenoor eet onder Joodse vroulike adolessente in Suid-Afrika word vir die eerste keer in hierdie studie gedokumenteer. Die prevalensie val binne die boonste deel van die reikwydte van koerse wat gerapporteer is in studies oor adolessente meisies in Suid-Afrika en die buiteland. Dieet en pogings tot gewigsverlies is algemeen in hierdie populasie en stem ook ooreen met die bevindinge van internasionale studies. Dit is die eerste studie wat onderwysers se bewustheid meet ten opsigte van die eethoudings en gewigsverlies-gedrag van meisies wat skool bywoon waar hul onderrig gee. Die onderwysers wat deelgeneem het aan hierdie studie was nie ten volle bewus van die mate waartoe eet-verwante kwessies vroulike leerlinge affekteer nie. Boonop blyk daar weerstand te wees teenoor die fasilitering van, en deelname aan 'n skoolprogram wat hierdie kwessies aanspreek. Verdere kwalitatiewe ondersoeke hiervan kan moontlik waardevolle insig bied.

Intresset för self-compassions effekt på psykologiskt välbefinnande har ökat. Self-compassion är negativt associerat med självkritik, ångest och upptagenhet av och utvärdering av den egna kroppen. Self-compassion anses skydda mot de negativa effekterna av perfektionism. Eftersom self-compassion tros förbättra mental hälsa är det av vikt att undersöka vilka variabler som predicerar self-compassion. Denna studies syfte var att undersöka om variablerna kroppsuppfattning och perfektionism predicerade self-compassion. Självskattningsformulären Self-compassion Scale Short Form, Frosts´s Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale och Body Shape Questionnaire-8C administrerades till deltagarna. Resultatet beräknades med hjälp av hierarkiska regressionsanalyser. Resultatet påvisade att subskalan för perfektionism, Concern over Mistakes och Doubts about Actions, och kön signifikant predicerade self-compassion och förklarade en signifikant andel av variansen i self-compassion. Kroppsuppfattning predicerade inte self-compassion signifikant och förklarade inte en signifikant andel av variansen i self-compassion. Framtida forskning angående eventuell överrensstämmelse mellan perfektionism och kroppsuppfattning önskas. / The interest of the effect of self-compassion on psychological wellbeing has increased. Self-compassion is negatively associated with self-criticism, anxiety and obsession over and evaluation of the own body. Self-compassion is considered to protect against the negative effects of perfectionism. Since self-compassion is believed to improve mental health, it is important to investigate which variables that predict self-compassion. The aim of this study was to examine if the variables body image and perfectionism predicted self-compassion. The self- report questionnaires Self-compassion Scale Short Form, Frosts´s Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale and Body Shape Questionnaire-8C were administered to the participants. The result was calculated using hierarchical regression analysis. The result demonstrated that the subscale regarding perfectionism, Concern over Mistakes and Doubts about Actions, and sex significantly predicted self-compassion and explained a significant proportion of the variance in self-compassion. Body image did not significantly predict self-compassion and did not explain a significant proportion of the variance in self-compassion. Further research regarding potential concordance between perfectionism and body image is desirable.

O presente trabalho busca investigar a relação da díade percepção-ação, especialmente entre percepção de imagem corporal e senso de agência. O estudo também tem como objetivo investigar se a forma como o indivíduo se percebe e seu nível de consciência da ação possuem relação com o índice de massa corporal. Outro objetivo foi avaliar que instrumentos vêm sendo utilizados para medir a imagem corporal. A estrutura da dissertação comporta dois estudos, um de revisão sistemática e outro empírico. A revisão investigou o instrumental de avaliação de imagem corporal em obesos no contexto de intervenção cirúrgica. Os resultados revelaram divergências quanto ao construto de imagem corporal e sua avaliação. O estudo empírico consistiu de uma tarefa experimental de ilusão sensoriomotora que buscou avaliar a relação entre imagem corporal e senso de agência. Os dados apontaram que pessoas com distorções de imagem corporal não tiveram pior desempenho na tarefa, mas apresentaram menor nível de confiança nas suas respostas. / This study aims to investigate the relationship of perception-action dyad, especially between perception of body image and sense of agency. The study also aims to investigate the way the individual perceives and its action level of consciousness are related to body mass index. Another objective was to evaluate what tools have been used to measure body image. The dissertation structure comprises two studies, a systematic review and other empirical. The review investigated the instrumental evaluation of body image in obese surgical intervention in context. The results revealed differences in the body image construct and evaluation. The empirical study consisted of a sensorimotor illusion experimental task was to evaluate the relationship between body image and sense of agency. The data showed that people with body image distortions did not performed worse on the task, but had a lower confidence level in their responses.

Bakgrund: Magtarmkanalen är en viktig del för att en individ ska uppleva fysisk och psykisk hälsa. Inflammatoriska tarmsjukdomar och cancer i tarmen är faktorer som kan leda till att en tarmstomi blir aktuellt. En tarmstomi kan vara permanent och temporär samt involvera olika delar av tarmen. Med en tarmstomi tillkommer ett ansvar hos patienten där egenvård och skötsel blir centralt. Tarmstomin medför kroppsliga förändringar där stöd och undervisning ökar förståelsen för den nya kroppen. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att beskriva patienters upplevelser av att leva med tarmstomi. Metod: Metoden som använts var litteraturöversikt som inkluderat kvantitativa och kvalitativa artiklar. Resultat: Studiens resultat presenteras i fyra områden: Social samvaro- på gott och ont, Begränsningar i vardagslivet, Acceptans av tarmstomi och Mötet med vården. Slutsats: Patienters upplevelser av att leva med tarmstomi kan både vara positiva och negativa. För att patienten ska acceptera sin nya livssituation har sjuksköterskan, vänner och familj en betydande roll. Patientens acceptans till tarmstomin är avgörande för hur kroppen uppfattas och påverkar därmed den psykiska hälsan. / Background: The gastrointestinal tract is an important part for an individual to experience physical and psychological health. Inflammatory bowel diseases and cancer in the intestine are factors that can lead to an intestinal stoma. An intestinal stoma can be permanent or temporary and involve different parts of the intestinal. With an intestinal stoma comes a responsibility which includes self-care and care of the intestinal stoma for the patient. The intestinal stoma entails bodily changes where support and teaching increase the understanding of the new body. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe patients experience of living with an intestinal stoma. Method: This study is a literature review which is based on qualitative and quantitative articles. Results: The results of this study are presented in four areas: Social cohabitation- for better or worse, Limitations in everyday life, Acceptance of the intestinal stoma and The meeting with medical care. Conclusion: Patients experience to live with an intestinal stoma can both be positive and negative. The acceptance of the new life situation includes the patient’s relationship to the nurse, friends and family. Patients acceptance to the intestinal stoma is crucial for how the body perceives and effects the psychological health.

U.S. sociocultural expectations regarding women's bodies have been linked with women's psychological distress. In an effort to reveal the transformative ways in which women may be subverting systems of oppression, the current study surrounds development and validation of a quantitative measurement tool centered on resistance to sociocultural beauty ideals and physical standards of appearance. Theoretical reviews, focus group interviews (n =33), and expert feedback formed the basis for item development and modification. An initial pilot sample (n = 169) offered data for initial examination of reliability, while a subsequent validation sample (n = 342) provided data for investigation of factor structure as well as evaluation of reliability and validity performance. A final 63-item Resistance to Sociocultural Appearance Standards (RSAS) Scale was developed. Exploratory factor analytic findings suggested a 3-factor solution represented the data well. Good reliability and mixed evidence for validity of the overall scale and individual subscales derived from the factor analysis were demonstrated. Strengths and limitations as well as directions for future research are discussed.