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Workplace Health Promotion Programs and Perceptions of Employee Body Image

Kenney, Lauren Elizabeth
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1473715377719152

Abstract Details

2016, Master of Arts (M.A.), Xavier University, Psychology.
The purpose of this research was to determine if participation in a workplace health promotion (WHP) program has any influence on employees’ awareness of and satisfaction with their body image, and whether or not those levels of awareness and satisfaction differ between male and female employees. It was hypothesized that individuals who participate in a WHP program would report higher body surveillance and lower body shame than those who do not participate in such a program. Exploratory hypotheses also questioned if there were gender differences in participants’ experiences of surveillance and shame. Data was collected from a sample of 174 participants. Independent-samples t-tests were used to test the main hypotheses focused on participation, and ANCOVAs were used to test the exploratory hypotheses focused on gender. Neither of the main hypotheses yielded significant results, whereas the exploratory hypotheses yielded results in the opposite direction of what was hypothesized. This study contributed interesting findings to the literature on WHP and wellness programs, as well as two keys factors that contribute to the development of body image. Participating in, or at least being exposed to, a WHP program may lead some employees to experience varying degrees of body surveillance or body shame, but said participation did not yield a significant increase in surveillance nor a significant decrease in shame. Of greater interest is that although male WHP program participants and non-participants alike reported significantly more body surveillance, there were no significant differences between both male and female participants (and non-participants) in the experience of body shame. These results have significant implications for future discussions surrounding the development of body image and experience in WHP programs.
Morrie Mullins, Ph.D (Committee Chair)
Dalia Diab, Ph.D (Committee Member)
Christine Dacey, Ph.D (Committee Member)
75 p.
Behavioral Sciences; Clinical Psychology; Gender; Health; Occupational Psychology; Organizational Behavior; Psychology
workplace health promotion program; wellness program; body image; body shame; body surveillance; employee health; employee wellness; body image perceptions; gender; gender differences and body image; participation in a workplace health program

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kenney, L. E. (2016). Workplace Health Promotion Programs and Perceptions of Employee Body Image [Master's thesis, Xavier University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1473715377719152

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kenney, Lauren. Workplace Health Promotion Programs and Perceptions of Employee Body Image. 2016. Xavier University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1473715377719152.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kenney, Lauren. "Workplace Health Promotion Programs and Perceptions of Employee Body Image." Master's thesis, Xavier University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1473715377719152

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

xavier1473715377719152
226
© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Xavier University Psychology and OhioLINK.