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Updated: May 28, 2026

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
Mediating effects of body image satisfaction on exercise behavior, depressive symptoms, and gestational weight gain
Erica L Rauff1, Danielle Symons Downs
1Exercise Psychology Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA.
Background:
Body image satisfaction in pregnancy may have an important influence on maternal biopsychosocial outcomes.
Purpose:
This study aims to examine the mediating influence of trimesters 2 and 3 body image satisfaction on trimesters 2 and 3 depressive symptoms, exercise behavior, and gestational weight gain.
Methods:
Pregnant women (N = 151; mean age = 30) prospectively completed study measures via mail during their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters.
Results:
As predicted, trimesters 2 and 3 body image satisfaction mediated the relationship between trimester 1 body image satisfaction and trimester 2 depressive symptoms and the relationship between trimester 2 body image satisfaction and trimester 3 depressive symptoms. In contrast to the hypothesis, no mediation was observed for the relationship between body image satisfaction and exercise behavior or gestational weight gain.
Conclusions:
These preliminary findings demonstrate that body image satisfaction is an important psychological determinant of depressive symptoms in pregnancy. Promoting healthy body image may be a non-pharmacological strategy that offers protective effects against depressive symptoms during pregnancy.
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