Date of Award

12-18-2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Specialization

Communication and Leadership

School or Department

School of Leadership Studies

First Advisor

Dr. John Caputo

Second Advisor

Dr. Carolyn Cunningham

Abstract

This qualitative study investigated how and to what extent dialogue can serve to increase women’s sense of satisfaction with their bodies. It is based on Martin Buber’s philosophy of “being” versus “seeming” in dialogue. Its theoretical basis consists of Cognitive Dissonance Theory, Coordinated Management of Meaning Theory, and Dialogism. For the research, two sessions of the Body Project’s Body Acceptance Class, a small-group discussion-based eating disorder prevention program, were facilitated. Participants were surveyed before and after to assess their levels of body satisfaction. Participant observations and intensive interviews were conducted to explore if, how, and to what extent participation in the Body Acceptance Class affected participants’ body satisfaction. The results suggest that women’s dialogic participation in the class produced a moderate increase in their body satisfaction through fostering acknowledgment, validation, acceptance, and empowerment. These findings corroborate the importance of dialogue within the field of eating disorder prevention, as well as contribute to the fields of communication studies and women’s psychology.

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