The transition to parenthood brings a host of changes to new parents; two key areas of change are decreases in relationship functioning and a worsening of women's eating, weight, and shape (EWS) concerns. Past research has suggested that a connection may exist between women's EWS concerns and relationship functioning during this transition. This study explored the impact of women's EWS concerns on both partners' relationship functioning in a sample of 74 couples (148 individuals) having their first baby. The study was part of a larger project exploring interventions during the transition to parenthood; thus, all couples had at least one risk factor for future relationship problems. Participants completed questionnaires approximately seven months into pregnancy and at one and three months postpartum. Results revealed that relationship functioning and women's EWS concerns worsened from pregnancy to three months postpartum, which is consistent with previous literature. Changes in women's EWS concerns from before and during pregnancy to three months postpartum were not generally related to changes in either partner's relationship functioning during the same period. However, the EWS concerns that predicted poorer relationship outcomes, including women's drive for thinness and bulimia symptoms, suggest the possible role of third factors such as negative affect or neuroticism. Also, increases in women's Body Mass Index from pre-pregnancy to three months postpartum predicted increases in relationship functioning, indicating the possibility of a larger construct such as general acceptance of the post-birth process, both in terms of weight changes and relationship changes. Thus, preventive efforts could include an emphasis on helping partners to accept the changes they will experience during this transition. Finally, the significant relations between women's EWS concerns and relationship functioning were often mediated by men's reported frequency of sexual activity, suggesting the importance of sex as a mediator. Although findings were limited, the results should be interpreted in light of previous research and the current study's limitations. Overall, this study indicates the need for future research exploring the relations between women's EWS concerns and the couple relationship during the transition to parenthood.

The high level of weight and shape concerns amongst preadolescent children has prompted interest in the development of prevention programs for this age group. In the 1990s weight and shape concerns were considered primarily an adolescent phenomenon. However, prevention programs which have been designed with adolescent and adult populations have been found to show limited success. Some researchers have argued that programs which target preadolescent children are more likely to be effective than programs that target adolescents, as by adolescence many attitudes and behaviours have become entrenched so they may be more difficult to modify. On the other hand, children's weight and shape concerns are believed to be more malleable and amenable to change. To date there have been limited controlled studies implementing prevention programs designed to reduce weight and shape concerns with preadolescent populations. The new study conducted as part of this thesis involves the development and implementation of the ‘Everybody’ s Different, Nobody Else Is Me’ preadolescent prevention program. The program was designed to address some of the methodological biases of past research and incorporate three risk factors, social comparisons, negative affect, and self-esteem, to reduce and/or prevent the development of weight and muscle concerns among children. These three risk factors have been found to be associated with weight and shape concerns of adolescents and adults, and there is also increasing evidence that they are important factors among children. Research also suggests that social comparisons, negative affect, and self-esteem are interrelated, which highlights the importance of targeting the variables in one program. The new five session prevention initiative was implemented with 156 grade four children. Both the treatment and control conditions consisted of 78 children. Preliminary evidence from the new prevention initiative indicated that the program reduced muscle bulk and exercise (ie. An over-emphasis on exercise to lose weight rather than health promotion), and negative affect in the long term as assessed by the six month follow-up. At the six month follow-up, children in both the treatment and control conditions reported reduced negative affect, dieting, and muscle bulk and exercise scores and increased positive affect. Consistent with short term follow-up results, boys reported greater muscle bulk and exercise scores than girls at the six month follow-up. Girls, in both conditions, were also found to report greater positive affect than boys. These findings are discussed in relation to past research, and suggestions for future prevention initiatives are highlighted.