title: A qualitative examination of women's self-presentation and social physique anxiety during injury rehabilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand women's self-presentation experiences in the rehabilitation setting, and their attitudes and preferences toward the social and physical features of the rehabilitation environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient physiotherapy clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten women (age 18 to 64) with high social physique anxiety (Social Physique Anxiety Scale score ≥25) referred for physiotherapy following acute injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews were conducted prior to commencement of treatment, and again after a third treatment session.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants experienced extensive self-presentational concerns that were intensified due to the nature of the physiotherapy environment. The women reported that their self-presentational anxiety did not diminish over time, and was related to others' negative perceptions regarding their physical appearance and inability to perform exercises as well as expected. The presence of men or younger women in the clinic was identified as a barrier to appointment attendance, along with open concept clinic settings, which were associated with the most potential for evaluation. Mirrors and windows in the physiotherapy clinic were highlighted as anxiety provoking. The women suggested that they would feel apprehensive about advocating for themselves if they felt uncomfortable with the area in which they were receiving treatment, and instead used avoidance coping strategies (e.g., hiding behind equipment, preventing eye contact) to manage their anxiety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physique-anxious women experience extensive self-presentational concerns in the rehabilitation environment, which could affect treatment adherence. Modifying the treatment setting, providing protective self-presentational strategies such as positive self-talk, and open patient-therapist communication could be implemented to help mitigate these concerns.
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, Canada N6A 3K7.
authors.forename: Molly V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Driediger
authors.affiliation: Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4; Department for Health, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom. Electronic address: c.d.mckay@bath.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Carly D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, Canada N6A 3K7.
authors.forename: Craig R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Elliot Sports Medicine Clinic, Suite 102, 1100 Walkers Line, Burlington, ON, Canada L7N 2G3.
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Echlin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000523:psychology*; D011593:Psychology, Social; D012649:Self Concept; D016387:Women's Health; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Physiotherapy clinic; Social psychology; Therapeutic alliance