A preliminary study of body image and depression among adults during COVID-19: A moderation model

Differences in the body image based on physical parameters among young women from the Czech Republic and Slovakia

BACKGROUND

The increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Czech Republic and Slovakia has led to heightened emphasis on weight control, particularly among women. Our aim is to explore body image perceptions among women in both countries and compare their attitudes, focusing on the relationship between body image and body mass index (BMI), height, weight, body fat and the weight control.

METHODS

The cross-sectional study involved 358 female students from the University of Pardubice and Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, with equal representation from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Body parameters were assessed using anthropometric methods and the InBody 230 diagnostic device, while participants' perceptions of their bodies were evaluated using the Body Shape Questionnaire.

RESULTS

The results confirmed that BMI did not significantly influence self-perception among Slovak students, while Czech participants with increasing obesity tended to perceive themselves more negatively. Significantly higher median values for BMI (p = 0.0509), weight (p = 0.0507), height (p = 0.05) and body image (p = 0.002) were observed in the Czech Republic compared with Slovakia. No significant difference was found in weight control and fat between participants from both countries.

CONCLUSIONS

Although obesity was demonstrated in both nations, body satisfaction was different for participants from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Correlations of Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity with Body Image and Quality of Life among Young and Older Adults: A Pilot Study

Significant evidence suggests that regular physical activity (PA) is correlated with numerous psychological benefits in adults such as improving body image and quality of life. However, this issue has not been differentiated between young and older adults. In addition, most previous studies used a self-reported questionnaire for measuring PA, the objectivity of which is limited in several ways. Hence, by using accelerometer technology for monitoring PA, this study was designed to examine the correlations of PA with body image and quality of life in young and older adults. In this cross-sectional study, we used objective actigraphy and survey data from 147 young and older adults, including 77 young and 70 older adults from Tehran, Iran. To examine our variables and hypothesis, the following instruments were implemented: the Persian version of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ), the Persian version of the Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF), and the ActiGraph wGT3X-BT for measuring PA. An independent t-test and a multivariate regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The weekly PA of both young and older adults was found to be lower than the recommended amount. Young adults engaged in significantly more weekly PA than older adults. For young adults, PA (including MPA, VPA, and MVPA) was generally found to be significantly correlated with body image and quality of life. For older adults, however, we found only significant correlations between VPA and quality of life. These findings indicated that PA is a critical concern in adults, particularly older adults. Accordingly, it is necessary to adopt appropriate strategies to promote an active lifestyle among adults.

Body Shape Questionnaire-34 (BSQ) and Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS) - pertinent body image screening tools: Creation and validation of Polish language versions

OBJECTIVE

Body image is defined as the perception of one's own body. While positive body image has a positive impact on quality of life, self-dissatisfaction may lead to depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. Body image might be quantified and evaluated: relevant instruments include the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and the Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS).This study was designed to translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Polish versions of these instruments.

METHODS

Translation (both forward and backward) from the original English versions of the questionnaires met international standards. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability are reported from 89 participants for the BSQ and 103 for the FAS. The participants also completed the Polish versions of the Body Image Quality of Life Inventory (BIQLI) and the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) to explore convergent validity.

RESULTS

Both, Polish versions of the BSQ and the FAS demonstrated good internal consistency and reproducibility. Convergent validity revealed a moderate relationship between the BSQ and the BIQLI scores, and a strong one between the FAS and the BAS-2 scores.

CONCLUSION

Polish versions of both BSQ and FAS questionnaires showed sufficiently strong psychometric properties to support their use in clinical and research work with Polish speaking patients.

Psychological Factors of Emotional Disadaptation in Patients with Facial Movement Disorders

<p style="text-align: justify;">The article presents the results of a pilot study of personality factors that affect the severity of symptoms of emotional disadaptation among patients with movement disorders in the face. The study involved 41 patients with an established neurological diagnosis with clinical manifestations in the form of movement disorders in the face. The age of the respondents ranged from 22 to 66 years (mean age &ndash; 35.5&plusmn;9.40). While studying the severity of emotional disadaptation the following have been included: the BFNE scale of fear of negative evaluation, aimed at studying the severity of fear of negative evaluation from others people (Leary, 1983; adaptation of E.N. Klimenkova, A.B. Kholmogorova, 2017), a depression scale aimed at examining the severity of symptoms of depression (Beck, 1961; adaptation of N.V. Tarabrina, 2001) and a Situational inventory of body image dysphoria designed to assess the negative attitude towards one's own body in the context certain situations (SIBID, Cash, 1994; adaptation of L.T. Baranskaya, A.E. Tkachenko, S.S. Tataurova, 2008) To study the psychological factors of emotional maladaptation, we used a three-factor questionnaire of physical perfectionism (A.B. Kholmogorova, A.A. Rakhmanina, 2020), a three-factor questionnaire of perfectionism (N.G. Garanyan, A.B. Kholmogorova , T.Yu. Yudeeva, 2018) and alexithymia scale (Toronto Alexithymia Scale or TAS-20 &ndash; G.J. Taylor et al., 1985; E.G. Starostina, 2009). Increased indicators of social anxiety were revealed in 66% of respondents, and moderate or severe symptoms of depression &ndash; in 39%; more than a third of respondents (37%) note increased appearance dissatisfaction. Physical appearance perfectionism, perfectionist cognitive style, and externally oriented thinking influenced body dissatisfaction level. In turn, the level of social anxiety depends on the level of socially prescribed perfectionism and the severity of external thinking, and the severity of symptoms of depression depends on the perfectionist&rsquo;s cognitive style and the difficulty of identifying feelings. The results obtained substantiate the need to organize psychological assistance to this contingent and, on the basis of the developed methodological complex, make it possible to identify patients with an increased risk of emotional maladaptation.</p>