A new project at Furman is taking a novel approach to helping students address issues surrounding body image, combining research and peer discussion to counter negative social expectations about beauty and appearances.
Called the Body Project, the research effort was initiated by Psychology Professor Kerstin Blomquist and doubles as a program to positively influence Furman students’ body image. Blomquist’s research focuses on eating and weight disorders; she said she is particularly drawn to preventative approaches to eating disorders and poor body image.
“I had been looking for an opportunity to engage students out of the classroom while promoting positive change at Furman and in the Greenville community,” Blomquist said.
The Body Project, initially developed by Dr. Eric Stice, was first implemented at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, under the supervision of Dr. Carolyn Becker. The program was first directed at sororities and female athletes and has been used to help specific groups of females with body image issues at various other schools.
Furman is the first school to implement the Body Project with women and men. Furman is also the first school to open the program up to the entire campus, rather than focusing on individual groups (such as sororities or athletes). Housing and Residence Life has used a condensed version of the program to educate FRADs and RAs on how to discuss body image with their residents.
Becker came to Furman in January to train eight students (three male, five female) to be peer facilitators. Peer facilitators are the central component of the Body Project, co-leading the group sessions that discuss body image issues and the expectations society places on appearances. The facilitators spent more than 10 hours in training to learn the evidence-based manual and to become confident, effective group discussion leaders.
The Body Project provides Furman students the unique opportunity to deliver evidence-based intervention treatment to their peers. Typical eating disorder or body image interventions require masters- or doctoral-trained and licensed clinicians.
However, Becker has demonstrated that undergraduates can successfully deliver the intervention as well. Students also develop leadership, teamwork, communication, and counseling-related skills. This program creates significant research experiences for students who may use skills like data collection and analysis in their future careers.
Matt Whitmire, a junior neuroscience major, was trained as a peer group facilitator for the Body Project last month.
“I hope the Body Project will provide participants with a new, accepting perspective on body image that will help to make Furman a more open and loving environment for people of all shapes and sizes,” Whitmire said.
The Body Project will soon be advertising to students who would like to participate in the project’s peer group discussion. Group discussions will focus on body dissatisfaction and the ideals that contemporary society pressures students to strive for. These discussions have been proven to effectively combat negative body image and prevent the development of eating disorders.
“My own experience with it thus far has been enriching, fun, and uplifting, so I would encourage everyone to sign up and get a fresh look at themselves and those around them,” Whitmire said.
The Body Project will be recruiting more peer facilitators soon. Interested students should contact Dr. Blomquist at kerstin.blomquist@furman.edu for more information.