Evaluating a body image school-based intervention in India: A randomized controlled trial

• DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.12.006
• Publication Date: 2023-01-05T03:21:54Z
• Authors: Helena Lewis-Smith; Kirsty May Garbett; Anshula Chaudhry; Megha Dhillon; Hemal Shroff; Paul White; Phillippa Claire ...
• Keywords: Male; Eating Disorders and Body Image Concerns; Interoception and Somatic Symptoms; Adolescent; Developmental psychology; India; Social Sciences; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Intervention (counseling); Health Sciences; Body Image; Humans; Psychology; 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences; School Health Services; Psychiatry; 4. Education; 05 social sciences; Self Concept; 3. Good health; FOS: Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Psychiatry and Mental health; Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Psychosocial, Clinical, and Treatment Aspects; Randomized controlled trial; Medicine; Female; Surgery

Body dissatisfaction is highly prevalent among adolescents in low- and middle- income countries, including India. However, evidence-based interventions are lacking. This study evaluated the efficacy of a school-based mixed-gender body image intervention A randomized controlled trial was conducted 568 (43 % girls) Year 7 students (aged 11-14; 94 aged 12-13) six schools Delhi. Each school randomly allocated to receive five 45-minute sessions delivered by trained psychologists or wait-list control condition. The primary outcome related secondary outcomes were assessed at pre-intervention, post-intervention, 3-month follow-up. Intention-to-treat linear mixed models analyses showed improvements relative group post-intervention Significant identified for internalization, life disengagement, disordered eating, self-esteem, negative affect, with effects maintained nearly all (girls only - boys disengagement) presents first India, which efficacious improving urban adolescents' image, outcomes.