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Updated: Feb 27, 2026

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
Self- vs. Other-Focused Attention and Appearance Self-Evaluation in the Oldest-Old: Gendered Implications for
Ehud Bodner1,2, Gali H Weissberger1, Boaz M Ben-David3
1Department of Social and Health Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Abstract:
Appearance concerns are rarely studied in very old adults. We tested whether directing attention to the self (mirror) versus others (poster) differentially affects appearance self-evaluations among community-dwelling older adults (N = 76; age 62-98, M = 81.41; 62% women). Participants completed questionnaires while seated facing a mirror (self-focus) or a poster depicting younger and older faces (other-focus). A 2 × 2 ANCOVA (Focus × Gender), controlling for age, education, relationship status, and self-rated health, showed a significant interaction. Men rated their appearance more positively in the mirror condition than in the poster condition. In contrast, women did not differ across conditions but rated their appearance lower than men under self-focus and higher than men under other-focus. These gendered patterns suggest that environmental cues in aging-service settings may shape how the oldest-old perceive their appearance and interact with staff. We discuss how to optimize environments to minimize gendered threats to self-image.
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