Objective
Cancer and treatment can produce temporary or permanent body changes, which may affect the body image (BI) of adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer (AYAs). This evidence has not been comprehensively summarized. A scoping review was conducted to explore the available evidence on BI among AYAs and identify the definitions, theories, models, frameworks, measures, and methods used to assess BI.
Methods
Databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO (via Ovid) and CINAHL and Gender Studies (via EBSCO) were searched to identify published studies from 1 January 2000 to 25 November 2019. Inclusion criteria were: qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methodology; at least one BI‐related measure or theme; published in English; and majority of the sample between 13 and 39 years at diagnosis and a mean age at diagnosis between 13 and 39 years. Two authors screened the titles, abstracts, and full‐text articles and data were extracted and summarized.
Results
The search yielded 11,347 articles and 82 met inclusion criteria. Articles included 45 quantitative, 33 qualitative, and four mixed‐methods studies. The majority of studies used cross‐sectional designs, while BI definitions, theories, models, frameworks, and measures were varied. Studies explored descriptive, psychological, physical, coping, and social factors, with BI being described most often as an outcome rather than a predictor.
Conclusions
Theory‐based research that employs a holistic BI definition and uses longitudinal or intervention study designs or a qualitative methodology is needed to better understand the BI experience of AYAs and inform the development of strategies and programs to reduce BI concerns and increase positive body experiences.
Summary
Introduction
A substantial proportion of individuals with overweight or obesity perceive themselves as ‘too heavy’ relative to ‘about right’. Perceiving one's weight as ‘too heavy’ is associated with lower levels of physical activity and higher levels of sedentary behaviour. However, the mechanisms underpinning the associations between weight perception and lifestyle behaviours have not been identified. Based on theoretical tenets and empirical evidence, the self‐conscious emotions of shame and guilt may mediate these associations.
Methods
Participants were young adults (n = 618, Mage = 24.0 ± .6 years) who provided data on weight, weight perception, body‐related shame and guilt, physical activity and screen time.
Results
Mediation analyses using the PROCESS macro indicated that shame and guilt significantly mediated the relationships between weight perception and physical activity and shame significantly mediated the relationship between weight perception and screen time.
Conclusions
These findings provide preliminary evidence that self‐conscious emotions may be mechanisms by which weight perception influences physical activity and sedentary behaviour in young adults. However, longitudinal investigations of this mechanism are needed.
We examined the impact of taking exercise breaks, non-exercise breaks, or no breaks on learning among first year Introductory Psychology students. Three 5-minute breaks were equally distributed throughout a 50minute computer-based video lecture. The exercise breaks group performed a series of callisthenic exercises; the non-exercise breaks group played a computer game; the no breaks group watched the lecture without breaks. Mind-wandering questions measured attention during the lecture. Exercise breaks promoted attention throughout the lecture compared to no breaks and non-exercise breaks, and resulted in superior learning when assessed on immediate and delayed tests. The exercise breaks group also endorsed higher ratings for narrator clarity and perceived understanding than the other two groups. This is the first study to show that exercise breaks promote attention during lecture and improve learning in university students.
Introduction: Body image concerns may contribute to poor sport experiences and low sport participation in girls. Objectiication theory and evidence from studies in non-sport contexts suggests body talk may elicit an environment that fosters negative body image. However, the phenomenon of body talk within adolescent girls sport is not well-understood from an in-depth person-centered perspective. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to explore adolescent girl athletes' experiences of body talk within sport. Methods: Twenty Canadian girl athletes (ages 14-18 years) enrolled in team-based non-aesthetic sports participated in one semi-structured interview. Using a qualitative description approach, an inductive thematic analysis was used to generate three themes. Results: "Body talk as a performance tactic" highlighted complimentary and negative body talk pertaining to sport performance came from coaches, opposing players, and parents. "Casual conversations and body talk" relected body talk from teammates and male spectators that was not speciic to sport but occurred in the sport context. "Coping with body talk" relected strategies athletes used to combat negative body talk from teammates, and relected the athletes' perceptions that negativity towards the body is normative. Conclusions: Body talk served many purposes within sport; researchers should further explore the diverse motivations and perceived utility of body talk across sport stakeholders. Creating standardized resources and policies to eliminate body talk may foster more positive and supportive sport experiences for girls.
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