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InPsych 2020 | Vol 42

Dec 2020/Jan 2021 | Issue 6

InPsych 2020 | Vol 42

Education and research : Research snapshot

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Body dissatisfaction in men

Stigma around men having body image concerns can prevent them getting help.

A qualitative focus group study explored 40 Australian men’s experiences with body dissatisfaction and sociocultural influences, such as stigma and gender bias. The male participants commonly indicated a perception that body dissatisfaction is less dangerous for men compared to women. However, they often described a lack of media portrayal of men’s body dissatisfaction. Men’s friendship groups were commonly regarded as a strong influence on whether men felt they needed to invest in their appearance and be concerned about evaluation or their diet and exercise behaviours. The men mostly viewed steroids as dangerous and socially undesirable. They generally thought that having muscles signalled their dedication to their appearance but in some cases muscles suggested a low level of intelligence. Body dissatisfaction was described as a taboo topic. Participants also commonly believed that it was unlikely that a man would seek help from a psychologist or general practitioner for emotional distress associated with body dissatisfaction. The researchers concluded that there is a need to increase awareness of male body image concerns, challenge the notion that only females experience body image concerns and normalise the experience and disclosure of body image concerns in men.

https://doi.org/10.1111/cp.12198

Nature therapy

Time in nature provides mental health benefits so long as it’s by choice.

Exposure to natural environments has been found to be associated with a lower risk of common mental health disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression). Researchers examined the nature-related motivation and experiences of people with mental health disorders by drawing on data from an 18-country survey (n =18,838) that was focused on recreational use of green (e.g., parks and woodlands) and blue (e.g., rivers and lakes) spaces. Use of prescribed medication for depression or anxiety was used as a proxy for having a common mental health disorder. Motivation to visit nature was high for all. Most individuals with a mental health disorder visited nature at least once a week. However, while perceived social pressure to visit nature was associated with a higher likelihood of doing so, it was also associated with less motivation to visit nature, lower visit happiness and higher visit anxiety. The researchers recommend sensitivity with ‘green prescription’ programs so that individuals are assisted to feel motivated rather than pressured into visiting nature.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75825-9 

Constructive thinking about threats

Constructivist psychology can inform adapting to existential threats.

Mascolo and Burbach (2020) propose a model of transformative problem-solving to support the adaptation of communities, organisations and individuals in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. This model involves a series of loosely organised phases that evolve dynamically over time, including encountering the threat, coordinating a leadership process, constructing a systematic problem-solving space, constructing possible solutions and synthesising and implementing a systemic solution. The authors illustrate the process of transformative problem-solving with an analysis of how a group of four families in the UK responded to the need to rethink their approach to educating their children during coronavirus lockdown. Through using transformative problem-solving, the families were able to explore their assumptions and values around parenting and education, acknowledge a need to grieve and recognise that the solution to their difficulties lay in showing initiative and creating systematic changes in existing educational structures. The authors propose that transformative problem-solving, and constructive thinking more broadly, can help individuals, organisations and communities adapt to the threats of the COVID-19 pandemic and other potential existential crises. 

https://doi.org/10.1080/10720537.2020.1835592

Refugee students’ wellbeing

Family support and wisdom aids recovery from war trauma.

American researchers examined posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, wisdom and resilience among Iraqi Chaldean refugee high school students in Detroit, USA. There were 98 students who completed a survey; 14 of whom also took part in an interview, while 16 also took part in a focus group. The students were found to have low levels of posttraumatic stress, which the researchers interpreted as being due to their being relieved from the war zone and having started to dream of their future. The researchers measured different aspects of wisdom. The higher the students’ level of reflective wisdom, that is, their willingness to look at their situation from multiple perspectives, the less likely they were to suffer from posttraumatic stress and the higher level of resilience they showed. The qualitative data suggested that while some students might be experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder, many students were focused on their future rather than recalling their past. Family support played a critical part in their overcoming war trauma and building their resilience. 

https://doi.org/10.1037/pac0000520

References

Disclaimer: Published in InPsych on January 2021. The APS aims to ensure that information published in InPsych is current and accurate at the time of publication. Changes after publication may affect the accuracy of this information. Readers are responsible for ascertaining the currency and completeness of information they rely on, which is particularly important for government initiatives, legislation or best-practice principles which are open to amendment. The information provided in InPsych does not replace obtaining appropriate professional and/or legal advice.

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