TY - JOUR
T1 - #Ihaveembraced
T2 - A pilot cross-sectional naturalistic evaluation of the documentary film Embrace and its potential associations with body image in adult women
AU - Yager, Zali
AU - Prichard, Ivanka
AU - Hart, Laura M.
PY - 2020/2/3
Y1 - 2020/2/3
N2 - Background: The aim of this project was to examine the qualitative responses of adult women who had seen the feature-length documentary film 'Embrace'. In addition, to establish the potential for the documentary to be used as an intervention to improve adult body image, a naturalistic study was conducted to examine whether any differences on measures of body image were apparent among women who had, versus those who had not, seen the film. Method: Participants were 1429 women aged 18-77 who were members of the Facebook group 'Body Image Movement' facilitated by Taryn Brumfitt, who also directed the documentary Embrace. Participants completed a cross-sectional online questionnaire regarding whether they had seen the film, their perceptions of the impact of the film on their lives and body image, and a range of standardized scales measuring psychological wellbeing. Results: Overall, the majority of participants had seen the film (n = 1053, 73.7%). Qualitative analysis of open-ended data asking about the changes participants made after viewing the film revealed that a large proportion (44.1%) felt they had higher levels of body appreciation and body confidence, many reported engaging less in dieting (19.6%), and some reported lowered disordered eating (2.8%), since seeing Embrace. Women who had seen the film also reported significantly higher levels of body appreciation (Body Appreciation Scale; medium effect size), and significantly lower levels of internalization of body ideals, self-objectification, body shame, and dietary restraint, than women who had not seen the film. Conclusions: Adult women reported numerous positive responses to their viewing of the film. Future experimental research should explore the efficacy of Embrace as a brief and engaging intervention for improving body image in adult women.
AB - Background: The aim of this project was to examine the qualitative responses of adult women who had seen the feature-length documentary film 'Embrace'. In addition, to establish the potential for the documentary to be used as an intervention to improve adult body image, a naturalistic study was conducted to examine whether any differences on measures of body image were apparent among women who had, versus those who had not, seen the film. Method: Participants were 1429 women aged 18-77 who were members of the Facebook group 'Body Image Movement' facilitated by Taryn Brumfitt, who also directed the documentary Embrace. Participants completed a cross-sectional online questionnaire regarding whether they had seen the film, their perceptions of the impact of the film on their lives and body image, and a range of standardized scales measuring psychological wellbeing. Results: Overall, the majority of participants had seen the film (n = 1053, 73.7%). Qualitative analysis of open-ended data asking about the changes participants made after viewing the film revealed that a large proportion (44.1%) felt they had higher levels of body appreciation and body confidence, many reported engaging less in dieting (19.6%), and some reported lowered disordered eating (2.8%), since seeing Embrace. Women who had seen the film also reported significantly higher levels of body appreciation (Body Appreciation Scale; medium effect size), and significantly lower levels of internalization of body ideals, self-objectification, body shame, and dietary restraint, than women who had not seen the film. Conclusions: Adult women reported numerous positive responses to their viewing of the film. Future experimental research should explore the efficacy of Embrace as a brief and engaging intervention for improving body image in adult women.
KW - Body image
KW - Embrace
KW - Film
KW - Health promotion
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85078891199&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12905-019-0870-7
DO - 10.1186/s12905-019-0870-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 32013953
AN - SCOPUS:85078891199
VL - 20
JO - Stateing Women's Health
JF - Stateing Women's Health
SN - 1038-7390
M1 - 18
ER -