Body image dissatisfaction as negative evaluation of personal physical characteristics is often associated with low self-esteem, eating and affective disorders. What body regulation practices can people resort to when they are dissatisfied with their body image?

The goal is to determine body image practices that help people to reduce tension caused by dissatisfaction with their body image.

We obtained the data by using a focus group technique. The group comprised 43 healthy undergraduate university students of both genders. Afterwards, the data were subject to analysis and systematization.

The findings revealed 11 variants that represent the spectrum of body regulation practices, which semantically can form three groups. The first group combines adaptive regulation practices that help people successfully adapt to actual life situation, develop their capabilities concerning their physiology, personality, intellectual interests, and image making. The second group combines compensatory regulation practices that mainly focus on one of the sides of body regulation, which bear a certain threat to their health (weight control, building up muscle bulk, medical cosmetology procedures, body modification). The third group includes non-adaptive body regulation practices associated with high risk to their health and personal wellbeing (auto-aggressive, hetero-aggressive, and psychopathological).

Information about preferable body regulation practices used by people who are dissatisfied with their body image can help predict health hazards and disorders, as well as work out targeted prevention programs.

No significant relationships.

Body image dissatisfaction entails an activity, which is nothing else but an attempt for deliberate regulation of their body. It has different kinds and manifestations. Most researchers focus on such body regulation practices as weight control, muscles build-up, or cosmetic surgery.

Our goal is to work out a psychological hierarchical model of body regulation practices aimed at abating a person’s dissatisfaction with their body image.

Using a method of agglomerative hierarchical clustering, we carried out a multivariate classification of 122 respondents’ answers to the Body Regulation Practices Survey (E. Nikolaev), which allows establishing the frequency of the respondents’ use of each of the 11 variants of body regulation practices offered in the survey.

Based on the results of 11 variables of a dendrogram, we established two data arrays, combining correspondingly 4 and 7 versions of body regulation practices. The first array comprises two pairs of clusters – physiological practices and weight control, as well as practices of personality and spiritual development. We identified it as “developmental body regulation practices”. The second array includes two paired clusters – aesthetic medicine and body modifications; image making and hetero-aggressive practices. Merging with the four practices mentioned above on a higher level of the hierarchy are auto-aggressive and inertial practices. We identified this array as “compensatory – non-adaptive body regulation practices”.

The devised model can become the basis for further advanced research in the area of body regulation in cases of dissatisfaction with body image.

No significant relationships.