The role of protective factors in the prevention of negative body image and disordered eating

Typically, definitions of prevention focus on heading off or delaying the onset of an eating disorder (ED) by eliminating or minimizing risk factors. Prevention programs seeking to reduce ED risk factors such as thin ideal internalization and weight/shape concerns have been increasingly successful over the past 10–15 years. This is particularly true for interventions that are indicated (targeted), and that are designed for older adolescents and young adults (Becker, MacKenzie, & Stewart, 2015). Programs in the universal and selective range, such as classroom interventions for mixed-risk audiences of students ages 5 through 14, have been only somewhat successful in consistently producing sustained reductions in ED risk factors (Levine & Smolak, 2006). Nevertheless, there is substantial value in continuing to work on universal prevention, including the possibility of preventing the early development of risk factors, such as body dissatisfaction, that are themselves unhealthy (Levine & Smolak, 2008; Wilksch, 2014). Noting that perhaps an emphasis on building strengths, rather than reducing not yet fully developed risks, will improve the effectiveness of universal prevention, ED and body image specialists have turned their attention to positive body image, body acceptance, and other strengths (Ciao, Loth, & Neumark-Sztainer, 2014; Cook-Cottone, Tribole, & Tylka, 2013; Piran, 2015; Tylka & Kroon Van Diest, 2015). This article addresses four key questions for concerning the potential role of protective factors in improving universal-selective prevention: