Comparison of the Effectiveness of Healthy Body Image Package (HBIP) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on Self-Esteem in 12 to 15-Year-Old Adolescents with Body Dissatisfaction

Adolescents experiencing body dissatisfaction fall within a group requiring serious attention from therapeutic and educational communities. This research aims to determine the effectiveness of a Healthy Body Image Package (HBIP) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on self-esteem in 12-15-year-old adolescents with body dissatisfaction.

The study, conducted in three stages of pre-test, post-test, and follow-up with a control group, involved 60 adolescents from Isfahan, Iran, high schools in the academic year 2023-2024. Body dissatisfaction was assessed using a 9-item scale from a 68-item Body Areas Satisfaction Scale evaluating individuals’ attitudes toward their body image. The dependent variable, adolescents’ conditional self-esteem, was measured using the Self-esteem Contingency Questionnaire for Adolescents. The intervention groups received eight 90-120-minute sessions of either HBIP or CBT training, while the control group received no intervention.

Data analysis was performed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc test in SPSS-26 software. The results revealed a significant difference in self-esteem between the HBIP and CBT groups compared to the control group (P<0.01). Furthermore, positive self-esteem was higher in the HBIP group than in the CBT group.

Considering the positive impact of both interventions on increasing positive self-esteem in adolescents with body dissatisfaction, it is recommended that these interventions be implemented in adolescent psychology centers.