Body appreciation around the world: Measurement invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age.

The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used measure of a core facet of the positive body image construct. However, extant research concerning measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across a large number of nations remains limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset - with data collected between 2020 and 2022 - to assess measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups.

The Benefits of Self-Compassion in Mental Health Professionals: A Systematic Review of Empirical Research.

The importance of cultivating self-compassion is an often neglected issue among mental health professionals despite the risks to occupational well-being present in psychological care, such as burnout or compassion fatigue. In this context, this literature review has a twofold aim. Firstly, to contribute to raising awareness of the benefits of self-compassion among professionals, based on empirical research findings.

Online Behaviours during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Associations with Psychological Factors: An International Exploratory Study.

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore specific online behaviours and their association with a range of underlying psychological and other behavioural factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight countries (Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Portugal, Japan, Hungary, and Brazil) participated in an international investigation involving 2223 participants ( = 33 years old; = 11), 70% of whom were females. Participants were surveyed for specific type of Internet use severity, appearance anxiety, self-compassion, and image and use of performance-enhancing drugs (IPEDs).

An international cross-sectional investigation on social media, fitspiration content exposure, and related risks during the COVID-19 self-isolation period.

With the global COVID-19 pandemic, governments from many countries in the world implemented various restrictions to prevent the SARS-Cov-2 virus's spread, including social distancing measures, quarantine, in-home lockdown, and the closure of services and public spaces. This led to an in-creased use of social media platforms to make people feel more connected, but also to maintain physical activity while self-isolating. Concerns about physical appearance and the desire to keep or reach a muscular and toned ideal body, might have further reinforced the engagement in fitness-related social media activities, like sharing progresses in training achievements or following more fitness contents on popular profiles.

Reductions in experiential avoidance explain changes in anxiety, depression and well-being after a mindfulness and self-compassion (MSC) training.

Objective: The mindfulness and self-compassion (MSC) protocol has shown efficacy in reducing mental illness symptoms and increasing well-being. However, little is known on how the positive outcomes are produced. This study explores how reductions in experiential avoidance following MSC training may explain changes in the participants' levels of anxiety, depression, and well-being.

Relationships between Mindfulness, Purpose in Life, Happiness, Anxiety, and Depression: Testing a Mediation Model in a Sample of Women.

Mindfulness is connected to positive outcomes related to mental health and well-being. However, the psychological mechanisms that account for these relationships are largely unknown. A multiple-step multiple mediator structural equation modeling (SEM) model was tested with mindfulness as the independent variable; purpose in life and behavioral activation as serial mediators; and happiness, anxiety, and depression as outcome measures.

Self-compassion, meaning in life, and experiential avoidance explain the relationship between meditation and positive mental health outcomes.

Objective: Despite consistent evidence for the beneficial effects of meditation on mental health, little is known about the mechanisms that make mindfulness meditation effective.

Method: The levels of mental health, self-compassion, presence of meaning in life, and experiential avoidance of meditators (n = 414) and nonmeditators (n = 414) were measured and compared. Bootstrap-based structural equation modeling (SEM) modeling analyses were used to test multiple-step multiple-mediator models.

Effect on quality of life of switching to combined oral contraception based on natural estrogen: an observational, multicentre, prospective phase IV study (ZOCAL Study).

Objectives: This observational, multicentre, prospective phase IV study examined change in health-related quality of life (QOL) from baseline to 6 months in women initiating combined oral contraception (COC) based on natural estrogen.

Methods: Eligible women attending a baseline and 6-month gynaecology appointment belonged to one of three groups: group 1 used barrier contraception (condoms) and elected to continue this method; group 2 used condoms and elected to switch to COC based on natural estrogen; group 3 used COC based on ethinylestradiol and elected to switch to COC based on natural estrogen. The Spanish Society of Contraception (SEC)-QOL scale assessed health-related QOL.

Effects of exposure to food images on physiological reactivity and emotional responses in women with bulimia nervosa.

Background: The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two exposure procedures on habituation of emotional responses to food stimuli: (a) exposure to external cues (food images) without eating forbidden food (CE) and (b) exposure to external cues eating forbidden food (with purge prevention). The influence of craving-trait and mood state on the habituation process is also studied.

Method: Emotional modulation of the defense startle reflex was assessed in 26 women at risk of bulimia nervosa.