The Social Body: Development and Treatment of Body Dissatisfaction in Context

Abstract

Body dissatisfaction is a distress that occurs when a person's feelings about their body image are predominantly negative. Body dissatisfaction is the result of sociocultural influences exacerbated by specific mechanisms, to which people have varying degrees of vulnerability. The manifestations of these influences and the state of a person's vulnerability greatly depend on the context. This project explores how adolescents and young adults may develop, protect themselves against, or recover from body dissatisfaction. The influences, mechanisms, and vulnerabilities mentioned previously are also explored in context to the identified demographic. Following a literature, practical therapeutic applications are suggested for counsellors seeking to understand and improve the lives of clients with body image distress.