Counseling, Men and Body Image

       Despite the covert nature of body image dissatisfaction, more and more men are presenting to counselors with symptoms related to body image dissatisfaction. Clients that present with body image dissatisfaction may list their presenting problems as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and disordered eating. Often times clients with a strong drive for muscularity develop maladaptive coping techniques to cope with their dissatisfaction. It's important for counselor to meet clients where they are in discussing their body image dissatisfaction and how they have manifested their perceptions in terms of behaviors.

       An important thing for counselors to recognize is that oftentimes men are underrepresented in counseling sessions. Therefore, it is important to be supportive and utilize techniques that are men-friendly. For example, research has shown that men respond better to solution-focused counseling versus emotion-focused counseling. Additionally, some male characteristics may create resiliency factors for men with the potential for body image dissatisfaction such as increased desire for autonomy and limited emotional reactiveness.

An Unknown Issue

       While more awareness has been raised towards body image dissatisfaction in men, it is still something that little is known about, and even less individuals are aware of. Additionally, there is a thin line between healthy and unhealthy in terms of body image dissatisfaction. For example, body image dissatisfaction can lead individuals to eat healthier, exercise more frequently and overall adopt a healthier lifestyle leading to an increase in overall physical and mental well-being. Because of this often times body image dissatisfaction is overlooked in men because in some cases positive results come out of it.
       Unfortunately there are cases when certain physical and emotional disorders can arise because of body image dissatisfaction. In terms of mental health men with high levels of body image dissatisfaction have a higher  correlation to express symptoms of Depression, Anxiety disorders such as OCD particularly around diet and exercise, Anxiety disorders related to the social environment, and disordered eating. There are also physical repercussions for individuals with body image dissatisfaction. These individuals may over-exercise cause damage to their body that can have life-long effects, they may consume supplements that can attribute to unhealthy eating habits, or come along with unknown side effects. For example, several dietary supplements for weightlifting have caffeine in them. Caffeine can cause physical and emotional symptoms, such as sleep disturbances, withdrawal symptoms, and anxiety. Lastly, body image dissatisfaction can lead to the use of performance enhancing drugs and anabolic steroids.
       Although more and more research is cropping up in relation to men and body image dissatisfaction, little is know of the prevalence in men. Additionally, research is looking to expand areas that focus on men of different ethnicities as well as men at different ages/development in life.

Body Image Dissatisfaction

       In the past body image dissatisfaction has been studied solely in females. Only a few decades ago did research on men and body image dissatisfaction start to crop up. What researchers found was that the typical model of body image dissatisfaction used on females, a thin to overweight model, did not fit the dissatisfaction that was cropping up in men. Rather men base their body image satisfaction on muscularity and leanness. Meaning men are looking to be more muscular and lean rather than skinny.

       Researchers feel that this drive for muscularity starts young in boys through the images they see in the media of common action heroes, an increase in scantily clad men in advertisements, and gender role socialization. Although there are mixed results as to whether men feel they take media images to heart in comparing their bodies, there are definitely subconscious messages being sent to males about how their bodies should look similar to females.

Bibliography

1. Olivardia, R., Pope, H.G., Borowiecki, J.J., & Cohane, G.H. (2004). Biceps and body image: The
       relationship between muscularity and self-esteem, depression, and eating disorder symptoms.
       Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 5(2) 112-120.
This article discussed the potential link between body image dissatisfaction and psychological distress. The authors completed a study that indicated men who believed they lacked a muscular physique were more likely to meet symptom criteria for psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, disordered eating and substance abuse by way of performance enhancing drugs.

2. Palldino-Green, S. & Pritchard, M.E. (2003). Predictors of body image dissatisfaction in adult men and
       women. Social Behavior and Personality, 31(3), 215-222.
This article examined several factors that could impact adult's views on their body and how this plays a role in body dissatisfaction. While media influence is often found to influence females perceptions of body dissatisfaction, it was found that age, family, pressure, and self-esteem predicted body dissatisfaction in women and men.

3. Parent, M.C. (2013). Clinical considerations in etiology, assessment, and treatment of men's muscularity-
       focused body image disturbance.  Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 14(1), 88-100.
This article did a review of current literature in terms of men's body image and the potential causes for body image dissatisfaction, assessment of body image dissatisfaction and potential treatments for men with issues regarding their body image.

4. Schwartz, J.P., Gramma, D.L., Sutherland, R.J., Siffert, K.J., & Bush-King, I. (2010). Masculine gender
       roles and differentiation: Predictors of body image and self-objectification in men. Psychology of Men 
       and Masculinity, 11(3), 208-224.
This article did research that focused on the affects of gender role socialization on men's perception of body image. The study looked at the influence of ethnicity, gender role conflict and differentiation of self on body image and what predictors would lead to body image dissatisfaction. The results of the study concluded that these three aspects where predictors for men with dissatisfied body images.