Assessment of Two School‐Based Programs to Prevent Universal Eating Disorders: Media Literacy and Theatre‐Based Methodology in Spanish Adolescent Boys and Girls

Abstract

Aims. To evaluate the long-term effects of two school-based prevention programs administered to a universal mixed-sex sample of school-going adolescents on disturbed eating attitudes, aesthetic ideal internalization, and other eating disorder risk factors, when compared to a control group. Methods. Participants were 200 adolescents aged 12–15 selected by means of incidental sampling from second-year compulsory secondary education at schools. An interactive multimedia media literacy program (ML + NUT, Media Literacy and Nutrition) and a program focused on the same topics using dramatic arts (Theatre Alive) were applied and compared with a control group. Pretest, posttest (1 month later), and 5- and 13-month follow-up measurements were taken. Analyses were conducted with two-way mixed 3 × 3 ANCOVA (group × phase) adjusted by baseline levels, body mass index, and sex. Results. Participants in both experimental groups showed significantly higher self-esteem scores than the control group over time. The ML + NUT group also presented lower aesthetic ideal internalization scores than the control group. Discussion. Both programs can benefit students' self-esteem. Moreover, ML + NUT program was useful in reducing thin-ideal internalization. However, differences in body dissatisfaction and disordered eating attitudes were not found. The programs may be protective on the core psychological variables, which are essential to adaptive adolescent development.

Bidirectional Relations Between Disordered Eating, Internalization of Beauty Ideals, and Self-Esteem: A Longitudinal Study With Adolescents

“…Furthermore, a moderate temporal stability was observed in self-esteem and the internalization of beauty ideals between 12 and 15 years of age in both genders, pointing to the need to implement prevention programs based on the critique of aesthetic ideals (Espinoza, Penelo, & Raich, 2013; González, Penelo, Gutiérrez, & Raich, 2011; McLean, Paxton, & Wertheim, 2016; Mora et al, 2015) and on strengthening self-esteem for males and females, during early adolescence (Rohde et al, 2015), before the stabilization process of these predictors occurs. Disordered eating shows a moderate temporal stability between 12 and 15 years of age, in both genders.…”

Girls-only vs. mixed-gender groups in the delivery of a universal wellness programme among adolescents: A cluster-randomized controlled trial

“…Other studies that examined the impact of prevention programmes on self-esteem using the Rosenberg questionnaire have reported mixed results. Some studies have found a statistically significant effect at programme conclusion in mixed-gender groups [ 7 , 26 ], as well as in girls-only groups [ 8 , 27 ], while others did not observe change in this outcome [ 28 ]. This difference in outcomes may be due to the difference in the baseline scores.…”

Dismantling prevention: Comparison of outcomes following media literacy and appearance comparison modules in a randomised controlled trial

“…Importantly, the effects were found at long-term follow-up (12-30 months). There were, however, inconsistent results for thinideal internalisation whereby the evaluation by Mora et al (2015) found an improvement, but no effect on internalisation was found by Wilksch and Wade (2009) and . Furthermore, thin-ideal internalisation was not assessed by Espinoza et al, despite, as noted above, internalisation being targeted in media literacy interventions.…”

“…Classroom interventions that have included media literacy components have produced positive outcomes for adolescent girls for weight and shape concern Wilksch and Wade, 2009), body satisfaction (Espinoza et al, 2013) and self-esteem (Mora et al, 2015). Importantly, the effects were found at long-term follow-up (12-30 months).…”