Body image flexibility in adolescents and emerging adults: conceptualisation, measurement, and protective functions

  • Anna Brichacek

    Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis

    Abstract

    Multiple developmental changes take place during adolescence and emerging adulthood, including changes in how one relates to their body. Body image concerns are linked to worse health and well-being outcomes, and an increased risk for developing a clinical eating or mood disorder. Enhancing positive body image, including adaptive ways of responding to body image threats, may protect against adverse health outcomes and promote optimal development. Body image flexibility is a dimension of positive body image that emphasises awareness and openness towards body image experiences to support acting in line with one’s values even in the presence of distress. Although body image flexibility could constitute a protective factor, there is insufficient research about this construct in youth. The present thesis investigated body image flexibility in adolescents and emerging adults using a sequential mixed methods design. Four studies were conducted to elucidate the potential role of body image flexibility as a prevention approach for enhancing youth health and well-being (Study 1); obtain an in-depth understanding of body image flexibility (Study 2) and its measurement (Study 3) in young people; and examine prospective relationships between body image flexibility, body image inflexibility, and adaptive and maladaptive health outcomes (Study 4).

    Study 1 is a systematic review of 23 studies that examined the effectiveness of body image flexibility-based interventions for improving health outcomes in young people. Results supported body image flexibility as a promising prevention approach, although conclusions were limited by the quantity and quality of available evidence. Next, three studies are presented to address identified research gaps related to the conceptualisation, measurement, and protective functions of body image flexibility in adolescents and emerging adults aged 11 to 30 years. Study 2 reports on a qualitative exploration of adolescents’ and emerging adults’ (12 male, 15 female) experiences of coping with body image threats. This study showed that processes consistent with body image flexibility were reported alongside other adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies. Study 3 adapted and evaluated the psychometrics of a youth-oriented measure of body image flexibility and inflexibility, with results supporting measurement validity in Australian high school and university students (N = 724, 50.0% female). Study four conducted a prospective test of the proposed affect regulation functions of body image flexibility and inflexibility (N = 351, 66.7% female). Results indicated that body image flexibility and inflexibility served distinct functions, and importantly, that body image flexibility protected against the adverse effects of social comparison threats on intuitive eating via body appreciation.

    Together, these studies offer new insights about body image flexibility in adolescents and emerging adults, with important theoretical and practical implications. The findings inform a context-specific conceptualisation of body image flexibility and inflexibility that integrates lived experience perspectives within existing theoretical models. A youth-oriented measurement instrument was developed to assess adaptive body image flexibility skills as distinct from inflexibility processes, which can guide future construct operationalisation and theory testing. Additionally, body image flexibility demonstrated protective affect regulatory functions through supporting adaptive body-related attitudes and behaviours, thereby expanding understandings of positive body image and corresponding prevention approaches in youth. Methodological limitations highlight the importance of further research with demographically diverse and at-risk samples that track development of body image flexibility and inflexibility processes over time, and which integrate body image flexibility within broader theoretical frameworks to elucidate adaptive ways of relating to the body for health and wellbeing.
    Date of Award2025
    Original languageEnglish
    SupervisorJames Neill (Supervisor) & Kristen MURRAY (Supervisor)

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