Two researchers from Florida State University have discovered that interventions delivered via smartphones can potentially lessen appearance-related anxiety in women who are highly concerned about their looks.
The investigation, conducted by Professor of Psychology Jesse Cougle alongside clinical psychology doctoral candidate Tapan Patel, has been featured in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
“While technology can have adverse effects on mental health, one of my primary objectives within this research was to explore how technology might be leveraged to enhance individuals’ mental well-being,” stated Patel, the principal author of the study and a contributor to the Cougle Lab within FSU’s Department of Psychology. “One of the most insightful lessons I’ve gained from my studies on anxiety is that confronting fears is often the most effective method for managing them, leading me to question: how can we utilize technology to assist individuals in addressing their anxieties?”
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, between 69 and 84 percent of women aged 18 and older experience dissatisfaction with their bodies and wish to weigh less than they currently do.
The detrimental effects of body dissatisfaction, which may include irregular eating patterns and heightened self-awareness, can contribute to social anxiety and eating disorders, as well as diminished self-worth and depressive symptoms.
Cougle and Patel recruited 203 women aged 18 to 65 in the U.S. who indicated heightened concerns regarding their appearance. The researchers then implemented two distinct one-month interventions, revealing that their approaches alleviated the women’s worries about their appearance without necessitating sessions with a clinical therapist.
“Concerns regarding one’s physical appearance are a considerable issue that can greatly impact an individual’s overall quality of life,” Cougle remarked. “Anxiety is prevalent and may be a symptom of various psychiatric conditions, including those related to eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and social anxiety. We aimed to test a brief, passive intervention we developed for appearance anxiety that required no therapist involvement and was accessible via participants’ phones.”
One of the most insightful lessons I’ve gained from my studies on anxiety is that confronting fears is often the most effective method for managing them, leading me to question: how can we utilize technology to assist individuals in addressing their anxieties?
– Tapan Patel, clinical psychology doctoral candidate and lead author of the study
The researchers formulated two strategies — one focusing on monitoring appearance-related safety behaviors (ARSB) and the other on tracking unhealthy behaviors (UHB) — conveyed to participants through text messages, along with daily checklists and reminders to avoid certain behaviors throughout the monthlong study.
One technique requested participants to self-track and lessen the frequency of their ARSB, behaviors that might provide temporary relief from appearance anxiety, such as checking their reflection in mirrors, evading situations where their bodies are visible, or comparing their looks to those of others.
The control technique encouraged participants to self-track and diminish their UHB — activities that generally lead to low mood and low self-esteem like frequent napping, neglecting household chores, or endless scrolling through social media before sleep.
Findings indicated that the intervention aimed at reducing ARSB resulted in lower levels of appearance anxiety, symptoms of eating disorders, social anxiety, and beliefs about the significance of appearance than the one focused on UHB.
“Successfully completing a comprehensive study with significant implications like this in just a few months, as Tapan did, is commendable — especially within the realm of treatment outcome research,” Cougle commented. “This research marked the culmination of many years of investigation we have pursued on appearance-related safety behaviors, alongside Tapan’s remarkable research in this area, which he has published extensively.”
Cougle and Patel aspire to integrate additional elements into their intervention and evaluate its potential for preventing psychiatric conditions such as body dysmorphic disorder, social anxiety disorder, among others. They also aim to assess its effectiveness in men.
“We initiated this project to determine how to enhance treatments by targeting appearance-related safety behaviors, and it has evolved into a viable solution for individuals facing appearance-related anxiety,” Patel expressed. “This study demonstrated the validity of the concept, and having our findings published was a thrilling experience. It’s invigorating to know that our colleagues in the field are supportive and excited about our work. It means a great deal to us to realize our research could be of benefit to others.”
To discover more about the research conducted in FSU’s Department of Psychology, visit psychology.fsu.edu.
The article FSU researchers harness new methods to decrease appearance anxiety in women through smartphone-based interventions first appeared on Florida State University News.