For this study we will be training peer educators to deliver positive body image intervention groups. This is a unique opportunity to take advantage of a low-cost and easily implemented program with an established evidence-base. Best of all, it is meaningful and engaging for everyone involved!
Benefits for Your School
Benefits of Peer EducationUnlike many intervention programs, peer educators and participants consistently find the Body Project engaging and fun to participate in. Studies have even shown tangible benefits for the peer educators themselves.
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Evidence-BasedThe Body Project, developed by Dr. Eric Stice, has emerged as the most effective program of its kind, with results which have been replicated by at least 8 independent labs.
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Promote Student WellnessBody image concerns are one of the greatest issues experienced by young adults. These cognitions interfere with healthy social and academic functioning, as well as individual mental health. This study will explore methods to help your students overcome them in order to become healthy and contributing members of campus society.
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Leadership Roles for WomenThese groups provide wonderful opportunities for young women to help their community while gaining valuable leadership experience.
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Supporting Peer Education ProgramsOur primary goal with this research study is to explore how we can best enable peer evidence-based education programs succeed.
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Cost EffectiveMany mental health interventions are costly and difficult to disseminate, stressing already overburdened university counseling centers. We are pioneering a system which is intended to be both cost effective and self-sustaining.
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Supporting Peer EducationWe want to help you develop the most effective peer education program possible.
The goal of this study is to explore efficacy, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness across different levels of program implementation so that this information can be used to improve all peer education programs. Every school will receive the core detailed and comprehensive training on how to conduct the Peer Body Project, while some schools will receive additional implementation support. |
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Benefits of Peer Educators
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For this study, we are training and supporting peer educators as they lead small groups of participants in a program called the Body Project.
Studies have shown that trained peer educators are effective at delivering prevention programs, at times with results even outperforming clinicians. The peer educators themselves also experience tangible benefits as a result of facilitating this program. This is a great opportunity for your school to participate in a low-cost and easily implemented program which is evidence-based and engaging for both peer leaders and participants. |
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Helping Female Students Succeed
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These peer intervention groups are designed to provide young women with the support and resources they need to conduct themselves with confidence. The peer educators themselves gain valuable leadership experience and a sense of altruism for helping their community.
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Evidence-based prevention
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At least eight independent labs utilizing randomized prevention trials have shown the efficacy of this program in reducing thin ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, and other eating disorder risk factors. The Body Project has been supported by more research than any other eating disorder prevention program, with participants showing a 60% reduction in eating disorder onset over three years.
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A New Way of Approaching Mental Health
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University counseling centers, the primary outlet for dissemination of mental health resources on college campuses, often struggle to keep up with the growing demand for their services on increasingly complex issues. These centers may experience budget shortages or high turnover, and are not equipped to expand their services into the promising new area of prevention interventions.
That is why our study is so important. We are able to tackle these challenges with the help of peer educators, who can implement intervention programs at a fraction of the cost. This not only helps to prevent mental health issues before they begin, but also allows counseling centers to focus on acute issues without becoming overwhelmed. |
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