A qualitative study of a small group of Canadian heterosexual women (N=25) who had been struggling with poor body image due to physical problems including disability condition gives us very encouraging results that body image disturbance and depression may be overcome to realize a positive body experience (Alleva et al., 2023). In-depth interviews and analysis of the subjective information obtained was coded by subject-theme. Twelve themes surfaced including:
- Enough is enough
The realization that one’s relationship to the body and world needs to change.
- Social connections & community
Finding people who love and accept you as you are.
- Access to critical knowledge
Finding information that corrects, reframes, and expands one’s self-perspective
- Joyful movement
Moving the body to enjoy, explore, and appreciate its functionality.
- Adaptive appearance management
Changing one’s appearance to express identity and feelings of comfort.
- Becoming older and wiser
With age comes greater self-acceptance and physical appearance is less important.
- COVID-19 epidemic experience
The quarantine conditions reduced feeling looked at and judged by others which then allowed the growth of self-compassion.
- Illnesses and medical conditions
The dawning realization that life is short despite physical problems and limitations.
- Changing social norms
The easing of sociocultural standards of what constitutes a beautiful body has been helpful and supportive in working with body image.
- Joyful and intuitive eating
Previously unhealthy attitudes toward foot and eating need to change so that eating is a happy social experience and valued for its nourishment and support of the body.
- Pregnancy and motherhood
Having a child is probably a woman’s greatest demonstration of her body’s functionality and it supports transcending personal notions about physical beauty.
- Spirituality, religion & nature
Realizing that spirituality is greater than religion and teaches respect and appreciation for the body.
As women engaged with these processes and experiences, which were both external and social as well as internal and psychological, they felt shifts in their embodied selves. They learned what they called “Bigger Lessons” about their identities being more than their physical looks, that their identity transcended their bodies, and that they were all worthy of respect, love, and joy.
They experienced accepting Social Connections and Community and Accessed Critical Knowledge conducive to body positivity. They engaged in Joyful Movement, Adaptive Appearance Investment, and Joyful and Intuitive Eating. They identified how Changing Societal Norms, Becoming Older and Wiser, COVID-19 Pandemic, having Illnesses and Medical Conditions, Pregnancy and Motherhood, and Spirituality, Religion, and Nature affected their body image, values, and valued action.
As women engaged in these processes and experiences, shifts occurred in their perceptions of their embodied selves in the world, represented by four “Bigger Lessons:” I Am More Than My Looks, I Am More Than My Body, I am More Than My Self, and I am Inherently Worthy of Love, Respect, and Joy.
Closing Thoughts
Okay, it’s a small study and it is based on qualitative interview method—of which I see nothing wrong with, but the more rigid reductionistic types will probably grumble—but in all the qualitative methods provide insights into the phenomenon being studied and so points the way for qualitative investigation. Which is just another way of saying, despite the debate in method, it’s a damn good and very interesting study,
What especially touches me as a former disabilities counselor, is the strength and gumption of these subjects to confront, accept, and integrate their body unhappiness, alienation, and despair. These findings give hope for others in the future in improved clinical methods and body image rehabilitation programs.
Thank you and well done, Canada!
Paul Shane, Ph.D., LMT
Director, Academic Content
References
Alleva, J., Tylka, T., Martijn, C., Waldén, M., Webb, J., & Piran, N. (2023). “I’ll never sacrifice my well-being again:” The journey from negative to positive body image among women who perceive their body to deviate from societal norms. Body Image 45, p. 153-171.