NCT04677400

More Than Body Appearance (MBA) Intervention

More Than Body Appearance (MBA) Intervention: Investigation of the Efficacy of a Psychological Online Intervention to Improve Body Image

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 100 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Padova · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The promotion of a positive body image is crucial to increase the efficacy of psychological interventions targeting body image. Recent studies indicated that positive body image also acts as a protective factor against the onset of ED symptoms. However, in the last decades, research has predominantly focused on reducing body dissatisfaction, with most available psychological interventions for body image adopting a disease reduction perspective while neglecting positive aspects of psychological functioning. This approach has shown limited efficacy in improving body image. Consequently, it is crucial to develop new psychological interventions including both perspectives (i.e., disease reduction and health promotion perspectives) to improve body image and to test their efficacy in different contexts and populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a 2-week online psychological intervention (More than Body Appearance; MBA) designed to improve body image in young women at both high and low risk of developing Body Image Disorders and in female athletes practicing aesthetic sports.

Conditions

• Body Image

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	More than Body Appearance (MBA) Intervention	The MBA is an online psychological intervention designed to improve body image. The intervention lasts 15 days, and it comprises two types of activity (1st and 2nd week). During the first week of the MBA intervention, participants sill read three blocks of psychoeducational material including information about: 1) body image; 2) positive body image and healthy lifestyles; and 3) body functionality. During the second week participants produce 3 structured writing assessment pertaining to body functionality and why it is important. Each assignment focused on two areas of body functionality: 1) body's senses and physical capacities; 2) health and creative skills; 3) self-care/daily routine and communication with others. For each writing assignment, participants were asked to reflect, describe, and specify why these aspects of body functionality were personally important and meaningful to them.

Timeline

• Start date: 2020-11-16
• Primary completion: 2022-12-30
• Completion: 2025-12-31
• First posted: 2020-12-21
• Last updated: 2025-03-28

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Italy