Correlates of body image in individuals with endometriosis: The role of body compassion and endometriosis-related symptoms

Knowledge pertaining to the interplay between body image, body compassion, and endometriosis-related symptoms is limited. The current study aimed to elucidate the relationships between body compassion, body image, and endometriosis-related symptoms, and explore whether endometriosis-related factors or body compassion are significant correlates of body image. Individuals with self-reported symptomatic endometriosis (<i>n</i> = 261), aged 18 years and over, provided endometriosis-related information and completed the Body Attitude Test and Body Compassion Scale. Regression analyses determined that the presence nonmenstrual abdominal pain, lower ability to defuse from negative body-related thoughts, lower body-related acceptance, and higher levels of common humanity were significant correlates of body image, as measured by the Body Attitude Test, in the current endometriosis sample. Preliminary support is noted for the potential inclusion of compassion-focused interventions for addressing body image concerns in endometriosis, with nonmenstrual abdominal pain, dyspareunia, nausea, and bloating viewed as important symptoms for consideration.