Date of Award

Spring 5-20-2026

Document Type

Honors Project

University Scholars Director

Dr. Joshua Tom

First Advisor/Committee Member

Dr. Carlene Brown

Keywords

Psychology, body image, music, creative arts therapy

Abstract

Body image dissatisfaction has become a growing concern in recent decades. Negative body image has been linked to anxiety, depression, elevated stress, eating disorders, and relational problems (Smith et al, 2024). Body image can negatively affect a wide variety of populations such as cancer survivors, people diagnosed with eating disorders, and adolescents. Fortunately, recent studies have investigated ways to improve body image perceptions among those affected.  Common treatments for body image dissatisfaction include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and alternative therapies (Peng & Xie, 2021).  Despite social efforts to reduce negative body image among the population, it is estimated that 72% of people in the United States struggle with Body Image Dissatisfaction (Peng, Xie, 2021).

Music has been shown to help individuals improve their self-esteem (Lawendowski, 2016), reduce anxiety, and improve behavioral patterns in clinical settings. Music can act as a form of self-expression and empowerment, therefore improving overall self-concept when performed in a therapeutic environment. Limited research has been done to assess the role of music therapy in the treatment of body image dissatisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to ways in which music therapy can be used in future practices to address the concern of negative body image.

Comments

A project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the University Scholars Honors Program. 

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Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

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