Brief Single-Session Body Neutrality Program for LGBTQ+ Adults in Central Alabama
Auburn University
Summary
LGBTQ+ individuals tend to have elevated risks for eating disorders (ED), possibly due to minority stress. For LGBTQ+ individuals living in rural Alabama, they tend to experience high levels of anti-LGBTQ+ structural stigma and limited access to LGBTQ+-specific resources, which engender compounded risk for ED development and reduced access to care. Brief digital single-session intervention that incorporates psychoeducation about minority stress and body neutrality may be efficacious in reducing ED risk and improve positive body image among LGBTQ+ adults in rural areas. Prior research from another lab developed a single-session intervention (Project Body Neutrality) among LGBTQ+ adolescents indicated immediate positive changes in body image constructs and psychological well-being. The present project evaluates and adapts Project Body Neutrality, specifically for LGBTQ+ adults in a rural high-stigma, low-resource region.
Description
Eating disorders (EDs) kill one person in the United States every 52 minutes, cost over $65 billion annually ($966 million annually in Alabama (AL) alone), have numerous barriers to treatment access, and are notoriously difficult to treat. Thus, scalable interventions that can target high-risk groups prior to ED onset are critical to reducing both the public health burden and number of people suffering from EDs. Researchers have found that LGBTQ+ adults are at a significantly increased risk for EDs. Further, LGBTQ+ adults who live in rural areas with high levels of anti-LGBTQ+ structural stigm…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * At least 18 years old, * Identify as LGBTQ+, * Currently living in one of the following AL counties: Lee, Dallas, Lowndes, Autauga, Coosa, Elmore, Tallapoosa, Macon, or Russell * Have internet access (either via computer/tablet, mobile phone, or community center \[e.g., library\]) Exclusion Criteria: * Being less than 18 years old, * Identifying as cisgender and heterosexual, * Not living in central AL, * Not having internet access.
Interventions
- BehavioralSingle session body neutrality program
Single session body neutrality program is a brief, 30-minute digital intervention program. Participants will at first be given a brief introduction to body neutrality and minority stress. Then, they will be given fictional vignettes of based on common regional examples of body image stressors for LGBTQ+ individuals and practice giving advice to them. Finally, participants are provided with their customized body neutrality action plan based on their responses during the intervention program.
Location
- Auburn UniversityAuburn, Alabama