title: Sketching people: Prospective investigations of the impact of life drawing on body image.
abstract: Three studies were conducted to establish the extent to which life drawing is effective at promoting positive body image. Study 1 (N=84 women) showed that life drawing had a positive impact on state body image, but only if artists observed a human model and not non-human objects. Study 2 (N=61 women, 61 men) showed that life drawing had a positive impact on state body image for women and men, irrespective of whether artists observed a sex-congruent or -incongruent model. Study 3 (N=23) showed that participating in weekly life drawing sessions for a 6-week period resulted in significantly elevated trait positive body image (body appreciation and body pride) and embodiment, and in reduced social physique anxiety; however, the intervention had no significant impact on negative body image (drive for thinness or muscularity). These results highlight the potential of life drawing for promoting positive body experiences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK; Department of Psychology, HELP University College, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: viren.swami@anglia.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Viren
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Swami
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy*; D001155:Art Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D018594:Human Body; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Art; Body appreciation; Body image; Embodiment; Life drawing