Body Image Distress

Cartoon image of women wearing shirts that spell "beautiful"

Body image refers to the perceptions we have about our bodies, including its appearance and how we feel about it. Sometimes, we may feel unhappy with our bodies and may even wish that it looked different (i.e. body dissatisfaction). High levels of body dissatisfaction predict depression, low self-esteem, and disordered eating in young women. Researchers should continue to examine this construct to inform body dissatisfaction interventions.

Select Publications

McComb, S.E., Gobin, K., & Mills, J.S. (2021). The effects of self-disclaimer Instagram captions on young women's mood and body image: The moderating effect of participants’ own photo manipulation practices. Body Image, 38, 251-261. DOI: 1016/j.bodyim.2021.04.011.

McComb, S.E., & Mills, J.S. (2021). Young women’s body image following upwards comparison to Instagram models: The role of physical appearance perfectionism and cognitive emotion regulation. Body Image, 38, 49-62. DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.03.012.

McComb, S. E., & Mills, J. S. (2020). A systematic review on the effects of media disclaimers on young women’s body image and mood. Body Image, 32, 34-52. DOI:10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.10.010

Shannon, A., & Mills, J.S. (2015).  Correlates, causes, and consequences of Fat Talk: A review.  Body Image, 15, 158-172. DOI:10.1016/j.bodyim.2015.09.003.

 

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