Cultivating Facets of Positive Body Image: A Phenomenological Study of Young Women in California

Body image concerns among young women have emerged as a significant societal concern in recent years. A large body of research exists on negative body image, but there is a gap in research regarding the constructs of positive body image and the factors that influence them. This study employed a qualitative phenomenological research design and included two semi-structured interviews lasting up to 60 minutes with each of the seven participants with a self-reported positive body image in California. The study’s conceptual model combined the Tripartite Influence Model of “body image” (Thompson et al., 1999) with facets of positive body image (Webb et al., 2015). Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the participant interviews. The primary aim of this study was to explore participants' personal experiences and understanding of positive body image, as well as the factors they perceive as influencing it. The findings revealed key influences on positive body image were people, clothing and style, affirmations, social media, culture, music, health, and religion. Six of the facets of positive body image emerged as well-developed, with the most prominent connections being: between people and Self-Perceived Acceptance by Others; health and Attunement, Body Appreciation, and Body Functionality; people and health with Positive Rational Acceptance; and clothing to a Broad Conceptualization of Beauty. The implications of this study offer strategies for more effectively promoting positive body image, beginning at a young age and extending through relationships with others, curating an inclusive social media feed, and food-related factors.