Table 12 Dissonance-based programs for children and adolescents (< 18 years old)
References | Type of study | Sample size | Intervention | Outcomes | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ghaderi et al. [59] | RCT | Females with body image concerns n = 149 vBP n = 148 EW n = 149 Control | vBP: 4 weekly sessions (1 h each), critiquing the thin-ideal delivered via Google hangouts for 4 weeks EW: Instructions sent weekly for 4 weeks where participants wrote about thoughts and emotions about their body for 40 min | EDE, EDDS, PANAS, EDE-Q (restraint subscale), CIA, BPDS, BSQ, IBSS-R | Incidence of ED onset in vBP participants was 77% less than in EW participants by 24 month follow up. vBP participants generally showed significantly greater reduction in ED symptoms, clinical impairment, body dissatisfaction, internalization of thin-ideal compared with the waitlist participants at postintervention and 6-month follow-up, and in ED symptoms, restraint, body dissatisfaction, and internalization of thin-ideal compared with the EW participants at postintervention, and 6-, 12-, 18-, or 24-months follow-up |
Luo et al. [60] | RCT | Females from China with body dissatisfaction n = 21 eBody Project n = 128 Control | eBody Project (adapted Chinese version used): 6 internet modules over 6 weeks (35–45 min each) critiquing feminine attractiveness ideal; aiming to increase self-acceptance and to induce dissonance about pursuing a thin-ideal Education Brochure Control Intervention: 2 pages, content included descriptions of positive and negative body image, key consequences of negative body image, particularly regarding increased risk for ED onset; had to review it for 35–45 min/week for 6 weeks | BDS, IBSS-R, CES-D, RSES, BAS-2, EDDS, DRES | eBody Project women reported significant decreases in body dissatisfaction from baseline to post-treatment and baseline to 6-month follow-up; no significant changes in controls. Self-esteem significantly improved for eBody project women from baseline to post treatment and remained stable at follow up (brochure had no significant changes). eBody Project women showed significant decreases in restrained eating vs. controls in assessments of changes from baseline to post-treatment and follow-up. eBody Project women showed significantly sharper decreases in ED symptoms in the baseline to follow-up evaluation than controls. Corresponding effect sizes were small to medium |