More Than Body Appearance (MBA) Intervention: Investigation of the Efficacy of a Psychological Online Intervention to Improve Body Image

The promotion of a positive body image is crucial to increase the efficacy of psychological interventions targeting body image. Recent studies indicated that positive body image also acts as a protective factor against the onset of ED symptoms. However, in the last decades, research has predominantly focused on reducing body dissatisfaction, with most available psychological interventions for body image adopting a disease reduction perspective while neglecting positive aspects of psychological functioning. This approach has shown limited efficacy in improving body image. Consequently, it is crucial to develop new psychological interventions including both perspectives (i.e., disease reduction and health promotion perspectives) to improve body image and to test their efficacy in different contexts and populations.

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a 2-week online psychological intervention (More than Body Appearance; MBA) designed to improve body image in young women at both high and low risk of developing Body Image Disorders and in female athletes practicing aesthetic sports.