Body image flexibility: measurement, correlated factors and intervention / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Body image flexibility (BIF) is the specific type of psychological flexibility in the research field of body image, which reflects the ability to experience negative body image and related events in an open and acceptive way, and take actions consistent with one's values. Body image is actually not stable. If negative body image could not be adjusted effectively in time, it would develop into body image disturbance (BID), which is one of the core symptoms and psychopathological mechanisms of eating disorder (ED) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). BIF is one of the important factors in this development path, gaining more and more attention as a protective factor for body image. So far, most studies focus on eating disorder patients and related sub-clinical populations. Body image-acceptance and action questionnaire is the most widely used measurement. BIF is related to some sample characteristics, such as gender, age and body size.Cultural context also has an impact on it.Positive and negative body image and eating disorder pathological characteristics are also strongly associated with BIF. As to the intervention, the application of mindfulness, acceptance and compassion in treatment may improve BIF. Future studies need to improve the research methods and designs, and pay attention to other samples. More specific interventions need to be developed, of which the therapeutic mechanisms also need to be explored.