Body Project

Oregon Research Institute

Program Type

Treatment or Direct Services Program

Cost

$1,001 to $2,500

Evidence Type

Empirically-Defined Evidence

SPRC Comprehensive Approach

Identify and Assist, Increase Help-Seeking, Effective Care/Treatment

Program or Intervention Summary

Body Project (Dissonance Intervention) is a prevention program designed for high school and college-age girls using four weekly one-hour group sessions or two two-hour sessions. Groups consist of 5-10 young women. Through a series of verbal, written and behavioral exercises, the program attempts to create dissonance in participants by engaging them in a critique of the thin ideal. Participants are also engaged in body acceptance exercises and role-plays to counter thin-ideal statements and resist peer pressure. The two types of facilitators who lead the groups define two versions of the program. The first version is led by clinicians with graduate training in a clinical mental health discipline, while the second version is led by college peer educators with advanced undergraduate qualifications and extra training. Both versions use activities that are counter-attitudinal to the thin ideal and use motivational enhancement, skill acquisition, social support and group cohesion to create dissonance within the participants. The Body Project is not sufficient as a stand-alone treatment for individuals meeting current criteria for an eating disorder, so attempts should be made to exclude such individuals.

Type Treatment or Direct Services Program
Setting Inpatient mental health facility, Community mental health facility, PK-12 School, Colleges and Universities
People Women
Languages English
Study Method Quantitative Design
Implementer Requirement Peer Consultants, Mental health treatment providers
Training Requirement Yes
Delivery Options In-Person
Risk and Protective Factors History of depression and other mental illnesses, Effective coping and problem-solving skills

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