Vacca Mariacarolina, Cerolini Silvia, Zegretti Anna, Zagaria Andrea, Mocini Edoardo, Lombardo Caterina
Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Department of Social Science, Guglielmo Marconi University, 00193 Rome, Italy.
Children (Basel). 2025 Sep 10;12(9):1208. doi: 10.3390/children12091208.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Weight-based stigma represents a pervasive psychosocial challenge affecting youth worldwide, with significant implications for mental and physical health. Although school-based interventions have been suggested as effective strategies to reduce weight bias, evidence regarding their content and efficacy in real-world educational contexts remains limited. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based intervention designed to reduce internalized weight stigma among Italian adolescents.
A total of 539 secondary school students (Mage = 15.91 years; SD = 1.38; 51.5% males) from 10 schools in Italy were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (61.2%, = 330) receiving the program or a minimal intervention control group (38.8%, = 209). The intervention integrated psychoeducational modules and activities based on cognitive dissonance theory to address maladaptive weight-related attitudes and associated psychopathological outcomes. Pre- and post-intervention assessments evaluated internalized weight bias and body dissatisfaction in both groups.
A significant reduction in internalized weight bias was observed among students perceiving themselves as overweight following the intervention. Additionally, a marginally significant decrease in body dissatisfaction was reported in the intervention group from pre- to post-intervention. No comparable changes were found in the control group.
These findings suggest that incorporating cognitive dissonance-based psychoeducational content within school-based programs may be a promising approach for reducing internalized weight stigma in adolescents. Further research is warranted to refine intervention strategies, explore the mechanisms underlying the observed effects, and assess the scalability and long-term impact of such initiatives in school settings.
背景/目的：基于体重的污名化是一个普遍存在的社会心理挑战，影响着全球的青少年，对他们的身心健康有着重大影响。尽管有人提出以学校为基础的干预措施是减少体重偏见的有效策略，但关于其内容以及在现实教育环境中的效果的证据仍然有限。本研究旨在评估一项以学校为基础的干预措施在减少意大利青少年内化的体重污名方面的有效性。
来自意大利10所学校的539名中学生（平均年龄=15.91岁；标准差=1.38；51.5%为男性）被随机分配到接受该项目的干预组（61.2%，n=330）或最小干预对照组（38.8%，n=209）。该干预措施整合了基于认知失调理论的心理教育模块和活动，以解决与体重相关的适应不良态度及相关的心理病理结果。干预前后的评估对两组的内化体重偏见和身体不满进行了评估。
干预后，那些认为自己超重的学生的内化体重偏见显著降低。此外，干预组从干预前到干预后报告的身体不满有略微显著的下降。对照组未发现类似变化。
这些发现表明，在以学校为基础的项目中纳入基于认知失调的心理教育内容可能是减少青少年内化体重污名的一种有前景的方法。有必要进一步开展研究，以完善干预策略，探索观察到的效果背后的机制，并评估此类举措在学校环境中的可扩展性和长期影响。
