An Empirical Model of Body Image Disturbance Using Behavioral Principles found in Functional Analytic Psychotherapy...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Body image disturbance and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) lack unified etiological and nosological frameworks.
• Intrapersonal (experiential avoidance) and interpersonal (emotion expression) processes are linked to psychopathology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between body image disturbance and BDD with experiential avoidance and interpersonal affect expression.
• To examine these variables in a large sample including individuals with BDD.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study design.
• Assessment of body image disturbance, BDD diagnosis, experiential avoidance, and interpersonal affect expression.
• Statistical analysis of a large participant sample.

Main Results:

• Both intrapersonal and interpersonal variables significantly predict body image disturbance in the general population.
• These behavioral variables also predict diagnosable BDD within a subsample.
• Experiential avoidance and difficulties in emotional expression are significant correlates of body image disturbance and BDD.

Conclusions:

• Intrapersonal and interpersonal factors are crucial in understanding and treating body image disturbance and BDD.
• These findings support the utility of contemporary behavioral interventions like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP).
• Targeting experiential avoidance and emotion expression deficits may enhance clinical interventions for BDD and body image concerns.