My Exposed Body: Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Social Physique Anxiety Scale-7 among Women

Abstract: Background: Social Physique Anxiety (SPA) is the anxiety resulting from the prospect or presence of the interpersonal evaluation of one’s physique. It is a construct related to body image and body esteem. The Social Physique Anxiety Scale-7 (SPAS-7) is a self-report scale aimed at measuring the degree of anxiety that people experience when others evaluate their physique. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the factor structure (through Confirmatory Factor Analysis followed by multi-group confirmatory factorial analyses), reliability, and convergent validity of an Italian version of the SPAS-7 among a sample of women (N = 520; mean age = 33.5, SD = 10.5). Results: Confirmatory Factor Analysis attested the unidimensional factorial structure of the SPAS-7, which achieved full invariance across age groups. The strength of the inter-relationships between the SPAS-7 and measures of negative (i.e., body dissatisfaction) and positive body image (i.e., body appreciation and body compassion) provided evidence of good convergent validity. The Cronbach’s alpha was very good. Conclusion: According to our results, the Italian version of the SPAS-7 could be a valid and agile instrument for assessing self-presentational concerns associated with body image among Italian-speaking women across age

Predictors of Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery: Instagram Images-Based Activities, Appearance Comparison and Body Dissatisfaction Among Women

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to test a model in which Instagram images-based activities related to self, friends, and celebrities were associated with acceptance of cosmetic surgery via Instagram appearance comparison and body dissatisfaction. We predicted that Instagram use for images-related activities involving celebrities and self (but not friends) was associated with acceptance of cosmetic surgery both directly and indirectly. METHODS: The study participants were 305 Italian women (mean age, 23 years). They completed a questionnaire containing the Instagram Image Activity Scale, the Instagram Appearance Comparison Scale, the Body Shape Questionnaire-14, the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale. A path analysis was performed in which the Instagram images-based activities were posited as predictors of the Instagram appearance comparison, body dissatisfaction and acceptance of cosmetic surgery, respectively. RESULTS: We found that only image-based activities related to celebrities and self were significantly related to acceptance of cosmetic surgery, whereas friends’ Instagram-related activities were not significantly related to this criterion variable. Moreover, the indirect effect of both Instagram self- and celebrities-images activities on acceptance of cosmetic surgery through Instagram appearance comparison and body dissatisfaction was significant. Friends’ Instagram images-related activities were not associated with acceptance of cosmetic surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these findings provide information about the role that activities carried out on Instagram, appearance comparison and body dissatisfaction, play on the acceptance of surgery for aesthetic reasons among women. The study highlighted the importance for surgeons to consider some psychological aspects and the influence of sociocultural factors on the interest for cosmetic surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266

Not All That Glitters Is Gold: Attractive Partners Provide Joys and Sorrows

Through a 2   2 experimental vignette design, we tested if partner perceived attractiveness in interaction with appearance-related comments from one’s partner might affect women and men’s body dissatisfaction, body shame, acceptance of cosmetic surgery, and perceived relationship quality. Participants were 154 women and 157 men living in Italy (mean age = 30.97; all of them were in a couple relationship), who read a vignette describing the purchase of a swimsuit, through which partner attractiveness (poor versus high) and partner commentary (negative versus positive) were manipulated. Some ANCOVAs were performed on women and men separately. For men, partner commentary affected body dissatisfaction with low body fat. Moreover, the main effect of partner attractiveness was found in their consideration of undergoing cosmetic procedures. Among women, a significant partner attractiveness X partner commentary interaction effect emerged on acceptance of cosmetic surgery for social reasons. As regards relationship quality, for women, there was a main effect of partner attractiveness on relational communication, while a marginally significant interaction effect between partner attractiveness and partner commentary emerged for men’s self-disclosure. Our findings suggest that partner attractiveness is generally beneficial, but when combined with negative feedback concerning the appearance, it might lose its advantages. These findings should be considered for planning interventions aimed at both preventing body dissatisfaction and acceptance of cosmetic surgical procedures for not medical reasons and promoting relationship satisfaction among women and men

Comparing Internalization of Appearance Ideals and Appearance-Related Pressures Among Women from the United States, Italy, England, and Australia

Researchers have observed variation in levels of body image disturbance and eating pathology among women from different Western countries. Examination of cross-cultural differences in the established risk factors (i.e., thin-ideal internalization, muscular-ideal internalization, and appearance pressures from family, peers, and media) for negative outcomes may help to elucidate the prominence of specific risk factors within a given Western society and guide associated interventions. Women from the United States (US), Italy, England, and Australia completed the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4). Analysis of covariance controlling for age and BMI indicated significant cross-country differences for all SATAQ-4 subscales. Results typically indicated higher levels of appearance-ideal internalization and appearance pressures in the US and lower levels in Italy; however, associated effect sizes were generally small. A medium effect of country was observed for peer-appearance pressures, which were highest in the US compared with all other countries. Repeated-measures analysis of variance and paired samples t tests conducted within each country identified thin-ideal internalization and media appearance pressures as the predominant risk factors for all four countries. Overall, findings suggest more cross-country similarities than differences, and highlight the importance of delivering interventions to address thin-ideal internalization and media appearance pressures among women from Western backgrounds

Exploring the links between self-compassion, body dissatisfaction, and acceptance of cosmetic surgery in young Italian women

This study aimed to examine the association between positive (self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness) and negative (isolation, self-judgment, and over-identification) components of self-compassion, and both body dissatisfaction and acceptance of cosmetic surgery among women, through the mediation (for the negative components) of internalization and physical appearance comparison. The participants were 220 young Italian women aged 19–31 (M = 21) years, who completed a questionnaire assessing the variables of interest. Path analysis indicated that higher mindfulness was directly linked to lower acceptance of cosmetic surgery. Mindfulness presented the strongest link with cosmetic surgery, as it was directly associated with acceptance of cosmetic surgery for both social and interpersonal motivations and with consideration of undergoing some cosmetic procedures. Common humanity and self-kindness were related to acceptance of cosmetic surgery for social reasons. Over-identification seemed to be associated with body dissatisfaction and acceptance of cosmetic surgery both directly and indirectly through internalization and physical appearance comparison. Self-judgment and isolation did not present a significant association with either body dissatisfaction or acceptance of cosmetic surgery. These findings confirm that psychological assessment of women who are interested in cosmetic surgery is highly recommended. Interventions should not consider self-compassion as a whole, but they should rather focus on some of its components. The role of over-identification seems to be especially pivotal, as higher scores on this dimension are linked to higher levels of body dissatisfaction and greater acceptance of cosmetic surgery

Instagram As A Digital Mirror: The Effects of Instagram Likes and Disclaimer Labels on Self-awareness, Body Dissatisfaction, and Social Physique Anxiety Among Young Italian Women

This study examined the effects of being appreciated on Instagram (numbers of Likes) and knowing whether or not the physical appearance of a person depicted in an Instagram image has been altered (Disclaimer)—on women’s self-awareness, body dissatisfaction, and social physique anxiety, both independently and in combination. The study used a 2 2 between-participants design in which the number of Likes (Low vs. High) and the image Disclaimer (Presence vs. Absence of information about digital enhancement) were manipulated. Participants, 201 Italian women (M=22; SD=3.69), were randomly assigned to the various conditions. Findings showed that participants exposed to an Instagram image with many Likes reported higher body dissatisfaction and social physique anxiety compared to those with few Likes. Moreover, an interaction effect between the Disclaimer and the number of Likes emerged. When many Likes were associated with an Instagram image, the presence of a Disclaimer was found to reduce women’s self-awareness, lowering levels of attentional focus. These findings suggest that increased media literacy training—designed to foster greater awareness of unrealistic aesthetic ideals—could be advantageous for young women. Specifically, in the presence of socially accepted Instagram images, providing information about digital enhancements could lead to a reduction in attentional focus about one’s own appearance