Focusing on Body Functionality After Bariatric Surgery

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study investigated whether focusing on one's body functionality (i.e., everything the body can do, rather than how it looks) would lead to improvements in body image, self-esteem, and self-kindness among women who have undergone bariatric surgery.

Official Title
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Does Focusing on Body Functionality Improve Body Image Among Women Who Have Undergone Bariatric Surgery?

Conditions
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Bariatric Surgery Candidate, Body Image

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Expand Your Horizon


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Identifying as female, being between 18 and 65 years old, having undergone bariatric surgery 5-7 months prior to the study, and qualifying for standard aftercare at the Nederlandse Obesitas Kliniek (NOK; Dutch Obesity Clinic). Exclusion Criteria: N/A

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Other
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Intervention Group<br>Participants in the intervention group completed the Expand Your Horizon programme (Alleva et al., 2015). | Other: Expand Your Horizon<br>* Expand Your Horizon is an online programme, comprising three 15min writing exercises delivered over the course of 1 week. In each writing exercise, participants are asked to describe the functions of their body, and why those are personally meaningful to them.<br>|
| No Intervention: Comparison Group<br>Participants in the comparison group did not complete any intervention (i.e., this was a waitlist comparison group). | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in appearance satisfaction over time (pretest, posttest, follow-ups) | Appearance satisfaction was assessed using the Body Areas Satisfaction Subscale (BASS) of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ). Scores range from 1-5, with higher scores demonstrating higher appearance satisfaction. | Pretest (Day 1), posttest (Day 5), 1-week follow-up (Day 12), 3-month follow-up (Day 95) | 
| Change in functionality satisfaction over time (pretest, posttest, follow-ups) | Functionality satisfaction was assessed using the Physical Condition Subscale (PCS) of the Body Esteem Scale (BES). Scores range from 1-5, with higher scores demonstrating higher functionality satisfaction. | Pretest (Day 1), posttest (Day 5), 1-week follow-up (Day 12), 3-month follow-up (Day 95) | 
| Change in body appreciation over time (pretest, posttest, follow-ups) | Body appreciation was assessed using the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2). Scores range from 1-5, with higher scores demonstrating higher body appreciation. | Pretest (Day 1), posttest (Day 5), 1-week follow-up (Day 12), 3-month follow-up (Day 95) | 
| Change in body responsiveness over time (pretest, posttest, follow-ups) | Body responsiveness was assessed using the Body Responsiveness Questionnaire (BRQ). Scores range from 1-7, with higher scores demonstrating higher body responsiveness. | Pretest (Day 1), posttest (Day 5), 1-week follow-up (Day 12), 3-month follow-up (Day 95) | 
| Change in self-objectification over time (pretest, posttest, follow-ups) | Self-objectification was assessed using the Self-Objectification Questionnaire (SOQ). Scores range from -25 to 25, with lower scores demonstrating higher levels of self-objectification. | Pretest (Day 1), posttest (Day 5), 1-week follow-up (Day 12), 3-month follow-up (Day 95) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Changes in self-esteem over time (pretest, posttest, follow-ups) | Self-esteem was assessed using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). Scores range from 10-40, with higher scores reflecting higher levels of self-esteem. | Pretest (Day 1), posttest (Day 5), 1-week follow-up (Day 12), 3-month follow-up (Day 95) | 
| Changes in self-kindness over time (pretest, posttest, follow-ups) | Self-kindness was assessed using the Self-Kindness Subscale (SKS) of the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Scores range from 1-7, with higher scores reflecting higher levels of self-kindness. | Pretest (Day 1), posttest (Day 5), 1-week follow-up (Day 12), 3-month follow-up (Day 95) |