Imagery Rescripting for Reducing Body Image Dissatisfaction: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Background Brief, innovative, mechanistically-driven psychological treatments for body dissatisfaction are needed. We aimed to explore the occurrence of body-related mental images among females reporting a subjective sense (study 1), and investigate potential efficacy single session imagery rescripting (ImRS) reduce (Study 2: pilot; Study 3 randomized controlled trial). Methods Results In study 1 (n = 31), participants reported both positive negative imagery. Frequency valence such were significantly related dissatisfaction. The pilot trial 63) indicated feasibility, whereby ImRS distressing image reduced believability, vividness, affect distress within-session one-week post-session versus an active placebo condition (Expressive writing about thoughts emotions). However, did not result in significant changes was 113) with conditions—ImRS, Expressive writing, wait-list control. resulted reduction controllability caused by compared condition, after intervention. there no reductions from baseline 1-week assessment, nor post-hoc analyses at 1-month follow-up. Findings suggest that seems alleviate properties (i.e., has proximal effects as hypothesized our mechanistic account), but does bring change transfer downstream more distal effects). Conclusions Given some promising on emotions, lack effect itself, further investigation format, dose focus this context is warranted.