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Strategies for Maintaining a Positive Body Image in the Face of Stigma

Bridget Dibb, Erica Hepper, Sarah-Jane Stewart, Menna Price Orcid Logo, Laura Wilkinson Orcid Logo

Journal of Health Psychology

Swansea University Authors: Menna Price Orcid Logo, Laura Wilkinson Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1177/13591053251330433

Abstract

This study aimed to explore how individuals with obesity, who have a positive body image (an accepting and favourable view of the body), maintain this positive image in the face of weight stigma. A qualitative methodology was used to explore the experiences of 16 individuals (11 women; 5 men) using...

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Published in: Journal of Health Psychology
Published: Sage 2025
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa69078
first_indexed 2025-03-12T06:15:04Z
last_indexed 2025-10-17T09:16:45Z
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recordtype SURis
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spelling 2025-10-16T15:33:12.9883012 v2 69078 2025-03-12 Strategies for Maintaining a Positive Body Image in the Face of Stigma e8d0f85a0d2762328c906c75b1d154b7 0000-0002-0025-0881 Menna Price Menna Price true false 07aeb47532af5a8421686d4f22f4a226 0000-0002-8093-0843 Laura Wilkinson Laura Wilkinson true false 2025-03-12 PSYS This study aimed to explore how individuals with obesity, who have a positive body image (an accepting and favourable view of the body), maintain this positive image in the face of weight stigma. A qualitative methodology was used to explore the experiences of 16 individuals (11 women; 5 men) using one-to-one semi-structured interviews. Four themes were developed using Thematic Analysis: Experiences of stigma, Self-evaluative cognitive strategies, Social Behavioural strategies and What Helps? Themes included strategies that reflect self-affirmation, defensive self-protection and social support. The results also included strategies not found in previous research, such as confronting the source of the stigmatisation. Moreover, no negative strategies, such as eating or self-harm, were reported. In addition, the participants spoke of the positive effect of social support but did not report seeking this support, which suggests that perceived social support may be more useful than enacted support. Journal Article Journal of Health Psychology 0 Sage coping strategies, obesity, positive body image, qualitative research, weight stigma 19 7 2025 2025-07-19 10.1177/13591053251330433 COLLEGE NANME Psychology School COLLEGE CODE PSYS Swansea University Another institution paid the OA fee This project was funded by a Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Research Support Fund at the University of Surrey. 2025-10-16T15:33:12.9883012 2025-03-12T06:12:18.8855922 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Psychology Bridget Dibb 1 Erica Hepper 2 Sarah-Jane Stewart 3 Menna Price 0000-0002-0025-0881 4 Laura Wilkinson 0000-0002-8093-0843 5 69078__34816__6b3cee8eed404608a93620ef54791aba.pdf 69078.VoR.pdf 2025-07-21T16:30:33.1370091 Output 365426 application/pdf Version of Record true © The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Strategies for Maintaining a Positive Body Image in the Face of Stigma
spellingShingle Strategies for Maintaining a Positive Body Image in the Face of Stigma
Menna Price
Laura Wilkinson
title_short Strategies for Maintaining a Positive Body Image in the Face of Stigma
title_full Strategies for Maintaining a Positive Body Image in the Face of Stigma
title_fullStr Strategies for Maintaining a Positive Body Image in the Face of Stigma
title_full_unstemmed Strategies for Maintaining a Positive Body Image in the Face of Stigma
title_sort Strategies for Maintaining a Positive Body Image in the Face of Stigma
author_id_str_mv e8d0f85a0d2762328c906c75b1d154b7
07aeb47532af5a8421686d4f22f4a226
author_id_fullname_str_mv e8d0f85a0d2762328c906c75b1d154b7_***_Menna Price
07aeb47532af5a8421686d4f22f4a226_***_Laura Wilkinson
author Menna Price
Laura Wilkinson
author2 Bridget Dibb
Erica Hepper
Sarah-Jane Stewart
Menna Price
Laura Wilkinson
format Journal article
container_title Journal of Health Psychology
container_volume 0
publishDate 2025
institution Swansea University
doi_str_mv 10.1177/13591053251330433
publisher Sage
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str School of Psychology{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Psychology
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description This study aimed to explore how individuals with obesity, who have a positive body image (an accepting and favourable view of the body), maintain this positive image in the face of weight stigma. A qualitative methodology was used to explore the experiences of 16 individuals (11 women; 5 men) using one-to-one semi-structured interviews. Four themes were developed using Thematic Analysis: Experiences of stigma, Self-evaluative cognitive strategies, Social Behavioural strategies and What Helps? Themes included strategies that reflect self-affirmation, defensive self-protection and social support. The results also included strategies not found in previous research, such as confronting the source of the stigmatisation. Moreover, no negative strategies, such as eating or self-harm, were reported. In addition, the participants spoke of the positive effect of social support but did not report seeking this support, which suggests that perceived social support may be more useful than enacted support.
published_date 2025-07-19T05:26:01Z
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score 11.089572

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