The Polish adaptation of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance SATAQ 3 Questionnaire

Background. The importance of mass media (such as radio, television, various magazines, commercials and the Internet) among socio-cultural factors is emphasized and considered as a predictor explaining the preferred and even dictated standard of beauty and attractiveness of the body in the global culture. The SATAQ 3 is a tool designed to measure socio-cultural risk factors of body image disturbance. The purpose of this article is to present the results of many years of research, which was aimed at collecting, analysing and presenting the Polish adaptation and normalization of the SATAQ 3. Participants and procedure. The Polish version of the SATAQ 3 questionnaire used for the research contained 30 items, whose content was identical to the original version of SATAQ 3. The standardization sample consisted of 1505 respondents: women (n = 1044) and men (n = 461) aged 12 to 64 (M = 23.65, SD = 8.57). Results. The four factors obtained in the Polish version of the SATAQ 3 questionnaire were named differently than in the English version of the tool. The Internalization-Pressure scale consists of 12 items and the Internalization-Information Seeking scale consists of 6 items, whereas the Internalization-Athlete scale consists of 4 items and the Information scale consists of 6 items. Conclusions. The present study has shown that SATAQ 3 is a tool with satisfactory statistical reliability. It confirms the useful-ness of the tool in both scientific research and screening of adolescents and adults (men and women) in the direction of isolating socio-cultural risk factors of body image disorders and predictors of unhealthy behaviours towards the body and the nutrition

Years of service, self-efficacy, stress and burnout among Polish firefighters

Objectives: The aim of the research was to analyze the impact of selected factors: years of service, the number of interventions, self-efficacy and stress, on occupational burnout. It was hypothesized that firefighters with more years of service and a bigger number of interventions would be characterized by higher perceived stress and burnout, and that self-efficacy would have an impact on reducing the level of perceived stress and burnout. Material and Methods: The participants were firefighters (N = 576) from 12 Polish voivodeships, aged 20-58 years, with different seniority: up to 3, 4-8, 9-15 or >15 years of service. The following research tools were used: the Link Burnout Questionnaire, the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale, the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, and an independent questionnaire to gather additional information. A correlation between particular variables was carried out; the Kruskal-Wallis test was performed together with a post-hoc analysis to examine differences in the severity of individual variables depending on seniority, followed by a path analysis studied together with the identification of direct and indirect impacts. Results: The number of interventions did not affect the severity of experienced stress or any of the aspects of burnout. Work experience directly influenced the level of perceived stress (β = 0.219), disillusion (β = 0.076), and relationship deterioration (β = -0.156). The generalized sense of self-efficacy was found to impact both on reducing the sense of stress (β = -0.418) and on all 4 aspects of professional burnout: psychophysical exhaustion (β = -0.181), relationship deterioration (β = -0.16), the sense of professional inefficacy (β = -0.275) and disillusion (β = -0.143). Conclusions: The results have shown that: 1) the number of interventions does not affect the severity of experienced stress or particular aspects of burnout; 2) years of service increase the severity of experienced stress and occupational burnout; 3) self-efficacy has an impact both on reducing the sense of stress and on all aspects of burnout

Psychological predictors of unhealthy eating attitudes in young adults

The objective of this study was to determine the predictive role of psychological risk factors for restrained and compulsive eating in young women and men. We examined the relationship between resilience, impulsivity, emotional intelligence and self-esteem, and restrained and compulsive eating. It was assumed that resilience and impulsivity can directly explain unhealthy eating attitudes (restrained and compulsive: both emotional eating and external eating). The study group comprised 211 individuals (105 men and 106 women) aged 20–29, all of whom were living in southern Poland. Measures included the Resilience Measurement Scale (SPP-25), the Eysenck’s Impulsivity Inventory (IVE), the Multidimensional Self-Esteem Inventory (MSEI), the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (INTE), and the Polish adaptation of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ). The statistical analysis showed significant and positive correlations between emotional eating and general self-esteem, impulsivity, and weaker (but still significant) correlations with physical attractiveness. External eating was positively and significantly correlated with impulsivity and self-esteem (including physical attractiveness). Restrained eating was also positively and significantly correlated with general self-esteem. Both types of compulsive eating attitudes (emotional and external eating) were significantly and negatively correlated with resilience. Women showed a significantly higher positive correlation between impulsivity and external eating compared to men. The level of intensity of other measures proved similar across the entire study group regardless of sex. Impulsivity had the strongest and most direct significant influence on both emotional eating and external eating, and a negative effect on emotional intelligence. Resilience proved to have a significant impact on all three examined types of eating attitude (a direct negative effect on emotional eating and external eating, and positive direct effect on restrained eating), self-esteem, and emotional intelligence. An important psychological intervening variable in generating unhealthy eating attitudes proved to be self-esteem among both men and women. Emotional intelligence, which remains correlated with resilience, proved independent, with no effect on unhealthy eating attitudes. These results suggest that preventive treatment and educational programs implemented particularly among adolescents and young adults may support development of their psychological resources

Socio-cultural standards promoted by the mass media as predictors of restrictive and bulimic behavior

Research lacks in verifying the nature of the relationship between mass media pressure, body image, and the risk of unhealthy eating behaviors. This study aimed to investigate whether the internalization of sociocultural norms, perceived pressure or searching for information about body image promoted by the mass media directly affect restrictive and bulimic behavior toward eating, through the mediating role of body image and physical appearance variables. The research hypotheses were that (1, 2) body image, the pressure and the internalization of sociocultural norms are significant predictors of unhealthy eating behavior among women and men; and (3) the variables related to body image play the role of the mediating variable between the impact of socio-cultural standards of body image promoted by the mass media and unhealthy eating behavior. The sample comprised 514 Polish men and women, aged 16 to 63 old (men M=24.35; SD=13.53; women M=24.77; SD=7.61), with average Body Mass Index (BMI). Assessment comprised the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Scale (SATAQ-3), Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI 3), The Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ-AS), and the author’s survey questionnaire. The descriptive and comparative statistics, and a path analysis (structural equations modeling) were applied. The statistical analysis showed that the variables related to body image do not play the role of intermediary variables. The pressure of sociocultural standards of body image and physical appearance had the strongest and most direct effect on the development of restrictive eating behavior and appeared to negatively affect body image in women. The search of information on body image in the mass media had the strongest and most direct impact on the development of bulimic eating behavior among women. However, only the global internalization of sociocultural standards of body image and physical appearance had a significant and direct effect on the development of bulimic eating behavior in men. Moreover, the internalization of athletic body shape standards had the strongest and most positive impact on some aspects of body image in this group. No sociocultural variables showed a direct impact on restrictive behavior among studied men. BMI had a positive and direct impact on individual body part satisfaction. These results may help improve prevention of eating disorders and dysfunctional eating behavior

Family and peer resources in relation to psychological condition in patients with paranoid schizophrenia

Aim of the study: The main objective of this study was seeking for the predictive role of social resources in maintaining the psychological condition by adults suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. Subject or material and methods: The study group comprised 201 individuals, 95 females and 106 males, aged between 18 and 54, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and being treated in psychiatric rehabilitation wards. The following instruments were used: clinical interview, a survey created the study, to measure life experience and coping with adverse life situations and their subjective outcomes for the social functioning, The Family Strengths Scale, The Perceived Social Support Scale, The Berne Questionnaire of Subjective Well-Being, The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, The Mood Scale, and The General Health Questionnaire. The correlation analysis and the path analysis were used. Results: The results confirmed that family resources significantly and directly influence a decline in perceiving the psychological condition of patients with schizophrenia. Life experience intensifies disease indicators adverse to healing. More significance was discovered in the case of support from father and comrades. The higher support from comrades was significantly related with lower self-assessed mental health. Discussion: The present study suggested that indicators of family and social support also mediate the intensity of indicators of healing and attenuation of disease indicators, and the source of support is highly important for the course of the disease. Conclusions: The educational and psychotherapeutic actions aimed at enhancing beliefs concerning the role of family and peer support in the healing process should be included in the long-term treatment of patients with paranoid schizophrenia and their families

Media pressure and the process of Westernization in the context of body self-assessment among young heterosexual and gay Polish men

Mass media and social networks portray a unified image of the perfect male body. The intensity and universality of this influence is an important element of the process of Westernization, especially in traditional cultures such as that of Poland. The main aim of the present study was to investigate the differences between Polish gay and heterosexual men in terms of the role played by self-esteem and the level of internalization of sociocultural standards of body appearance as predictors of the development of their body images. The research study was conducted by reference to 19- to 29-year-old Polish heterosexual (n = 287) and gay (n = 97) men. The variables were measured using Polish versions of the Sociocultural Attitudes towards Appearance Scale-3, the Self-Esteem Scale, and the Multidimensional Body–Self Relations Questionnaire. Statistical analyses identified several variables as the main predictors of body image in both heterosexual and gay young men: self-esteem, information-seeking, perceived pressure and the internalization of sociocultural standards regarding an athletic body image drawn from mass media. The only significant difference between the two groups was the fact that self-esteem, perceived pressure and the internalization of sociocultural standards from mass media did not play a predictive role with respect to Appearance Orientation among the group of gay men

Factor structure and psychometric properties of Polish version of Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) among adults and adolescents

Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) by Parker et al., is a widely known and used tool in studies on the assessment of parenting behavior in adult, adolescent and child populations. This tool has had many translations and adaptations globally. In Poland, the factor structure and psychometric properties of PBI have not been studied so far. The aim of the presented research was to perform such an analysis both in the group of adults and adolescents. The data from four research projects, in which the 25-item version of the PBI translated into Polish was used, were analyzed. Data from 698 participants in total, including 473 adults and 225 adolescents were collected. Exploratory factor analyzes was performed for both mother and father version. A study of the reliability of individual factors, stability over time (test-retest) and an analysis of criterion validity were carried out. Both in the group of adults and adolescents, obtained a three-factor structure, acceptable reliability and stability over time. Moreover PBI correlated with another Polish tool in line with the adopted hypotheses, showing satisfactory criteria validity

Psychological risk factors for the development of restrictive and bulimic eating behaviors : a Polish and Vietnamese comparison

The aim of this paper is to identify psychological factors which are culture specific or common predictors for restrictive and bulimic behaviors towards eating for young women raised in different cultures. The study included 661 young women from Poland (n = 233) and Vietnam (n = 428). Subjects filled-in the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI-3) and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scales (MBSRQ-AS), and body measurements were collected to calculate anthropometric indices. Women form Vietnam were less satisfied with their appearance than were their Polish peers, but Vietnamese showed a lower level of preoccupation with being overweight and fear of obesity. Intercultural differences indicate that Vietnamese women show greater intensities for psychological variables, connected with restrictive and bulimic eating behaviors, verified in the research model: low self-esteem, personal alienation, interpersonal insecurity, interpersonal alienation, emotional dysregulation, interoceptive deficits, perfectionism and asceticism, and anxiety

Body dissatisfaction, restrictive, and bulimic behaviours among young women : a Polish-Japanese comparison

The growing number of women, who are characterized by restrictive and bulimic behaviours towards their own body is observed especially in countries influenced by Westernalization. However, there is a lack of cross-cultural studies in this area. The main aim of the present study was to examine the psychological and socio-cultural risk factors for eating disorders in Polish and Japanese women. A cross-sectional research study was conducted among 18- to 29-year old Polish (n = 89) and Japanese (n = 97) women. The variables were measured using the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Scale SATAQ-3, and the Eating Disorders Inventory EDI-3. The descriptive and comparative statistics, Spearman's rho, and the stepwise regression analysis were used. The global internalization of socio-cultural standards of body image proved to be a significant predictor of Body Dissatisfaction among Polish and Japanese women. The main analysis showed a significant relation between the Drive for Thinness and Interoceptive Deficits in the group of Japanese women, as well as a correlation between Drive for Thinness and Asceticism in the group of Polish women. The obtained results could improve the prevention aimed the dysfunctional eating behaviours. However, the cultural nuances need to be considered in understanding the risk factors for eating disorders

Psychological resilience as a protective factor for the body image in post-mastectomy women with breast cancer

European statistics confirm a rise in breast cancer among contemporary women. Those suffering from cancer and undergoing a surgery (mastectomy) are undoubtedly considered to be in difficult situations. The range of the numerous negative and/or positive emotions, thoughts, and behaviours depend on many psychological factors such as psychological resilience. The authors are currently drawing a report on their own studies where they are trying to determine factors that protect body image resilience in women suffering from breast cancer after mastectomies. The research group consisted of 120 women after a short (up to 2 years) or a long (over 2 years) duration having elapsed since their mastectomy. The results of the research groups show that psychological resilience is a significant protecting factor for the body image that prevents the excessive development of negative self-esteem in post-mastectomy women. Female patients ought to be provided aid in the short time immediately after the procedure and afterwards, when they are less capable of tolerating negative emotions. In order to significantly improve the general body image resilience to emotional and cognitive distortions in post-mastectomy women who experienced breast cancer, it is recommended that psychological interventions (from psychoeducation to psychological assistance and specialist psychotherapy) are conducted systematically throughout the course of treatment