Publications
Welcome to our Publications Page, in which we share recent paper publications from the Body Image Research Network (BIRN) members pertaining to all things body image. Scroll down to view
Beyond Gender: Interoceptive Sensibility as a Key Predictor of Body Image Disturbances
Naraindas, A. M., Moreno, M., & Cooney, S. M. (2023).
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Men are often understudied in the realm of body image research, therefore this study sought to explore body image disturbance (BID) in women and men, examining its links to interoceptive sensibility (IS) and gender. While both gender and IS predicted BID, IS maintained a unique influence beyond gender. Notably, gender differences didn't impact performance in the body schema task. To read more, the full paper is linked below.
Body image disturbance, interoceptive sensibility and the body schema across female adulthood: A pre-registered study.
Naraindas, A. M., & Cooney, S. M. (2023).
While most body image disturbance/interoception/body schema research has looked at clinical populations, the current study explores its prevalence among a healthy female population across adulthood. Read the full paper to learn more about our findings.
Pilot feasibility and acceptability trial of BE REAL’s BodyKind: A universal school-based body image intervention for adolescents
Mahon, C., Hamburger, D., Yager, Z., Almaraz, M., Mooney, J., Tran, T., ... & Webb, J. B. (2023).
This paper examines BodyKind, a gender inclusive, schools based program for older adolescents. BodyKind was piloted in a low-income diverse school setting, and well-received by teachers and students alike.
An exploratory investigation of body esteem,
body dissatisfaction and body change behaviours
in sexual minority young adults from a risk and
protective perspective
Mahon, C., Fitzgerald, A., O’Reilly, A., McDermott, C., O’Connor, C., & Dooley, B. (2023).
Utilising cross-sectional data from the My World Survey 2, body image, body change behaviours as well as risk and protective factors for self esteem were examined through the lens of sexual orientation. Comfort with sexuality, resilience and social support were positively associated with body esteem; however risk and protective factors did vary based on sexual orientation.
Pilot trial of a self-compassion intervention to address adolescents’ social media-related body image concerns
Mahon, C., & Hevey, D. (2023).
A new 5-week Digital Social Media Adolescent Resilience Training intervention based in Gilbert’s (2010) Compassionate Mind Training was developed to address adolescent’s social media-related body image concerns and trialed in several Irish mixed secondary schools. Implications for potential use of self-compassion interventions for improving adolescents' body image discussed further in the paper below.
Systematic Review of Digital Interventions for Adolescent and Young Adult Women's Body Image
Mahon, C., & Seekis, V. (2022).
Systematic review of current research examining the efficacy of digital interventions in improving young women and adolescents' body image. 15 studies were included in final review, with 8 interventions improving at least one measure of body image in pre/post intervention testing. Implications are discussed further in the paper below.
An International Study of Correlates of Women’s Positive Body Image
Torres, S., Araújo, C. A., Fitzgerald, A., Dooley, B., Leondari, A., Costa, C. M., ... & Babarović, T. (2022).
Using a cross-national sample spanning 8 European countries, positive body image (PBI), self esteem, perceived academic achievements and aspirations and body mass index (BMI) were measured in 2653 female university students.