FSU researchers develop smartphone-based solution to reduce appearance anxiety in women

Florida – In a groundbreaking study, researchers from Florida State University have found that smartphone-based interventions can effectively reduce appearance-related anxiety in women. This discovery offers a promising, accessible solution for those struggling with body image concerns without the need for direct clinical therapy.

The study, led by Professor of Psychology Jesse Cougle and doctoral student Tapan Patel, was recently published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Their research focused on leveraging technology to combat the very anxieties it often exacerbates.

“Technology can lead to negative mental health effects, so one of my biggest driving questions within this research was how I can instead use technology to improve people’s mental health,” said Patel. “One of the most profound things I’ve learned in my work studying anxiety is that the best way to deal with fear is to face it, so this led me to ask: how can we use technology to help people face their anxieties?”

The problem of body dissatisfaction is widespread, affecting between 69% and 84% of women over the age of 18, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. This dissatisfaction can lead to severe consequences such as social anxiety, eating disorders, and depression. Cougle and Patel set out to explore whether simple smartphone-based techniques could help mitigate these harmful effects.

Their study involved 203 women between the ages of 18 and 65 who reported heightened concerns about their appearance. Over a month, the participants were divided into two groups, each following a different intervention designed to tackle their anxieties.

“Anxiety about one’s physical appearance is a significant problem that can substantially affect a person’s quality of life,” Cougle explained. “Anxiety is common and a symptom of multiple psychiatric conditions including disorders concerning eating, body dysmorphia and social anxiety. We sought to test a brief, passive intervention we developed for appearance anxiety that did not require therapist involvement and was delivered via participants’ phones.”

The researchers introduced two different strategies. One focused on monitoring and reducing appearance-related safety behaviors (ARSB), such as excessive mirror-checking, avoiding social situations, and constantly comparing oneself to others. The other intervention encouraged participants to track and cut down on unhealthy behaviors (UHB), like excessive napping, procrastination, and excessive social media use.

Results showed that targeting ARSB had a stronger impact in reducing appearance anxiety, social anxiety, and symptoms related to eating disorders. The findings highlight that addressing behaviors linked specifically to appearance concerns can be more effective than general well-being strategies.

“Completing a full study with important implications like this, in just a few months, as Tapan did, is an impressive feat — especially for treatment outcome research,” Cougle said. “This study was the culmination of years of research we have been conducting on appearance-related safety behaviors and Tapan’s impressive research on the topic, which he’s published on extensively.”

The success of this study has paved the way for future developments. Patel and Cougle plan to expand their research to include men and investigate whether these smartphone-based interventions could help prevent psychiatric conditions like body dysmorphic disorder and social anxiety disorder.

“We started this project to determine how to improve treatments by targeting appearance-related safety behaviors, and it has become its own accessible solution for people with appearance-related anxiety,” Patel said. “This study displayed that the idea is sound, and having our research published was an ecstatic feeling. It’s motivating to know that colleagues in the field are encouraging and enthusiastic about our work. It means a great deal to know our research could help people.”

With these promising results, the study marks a significant step forward in using technology as a tool for mental health support. As researchers continue to refine their interventions, their work could provide a lifeline for many struggling with body image concerns.