Body dissatisfaction is one of the most robust risk factors for developing unhealthy behaviors, low self-esteem, and contributes to anxiety and depression in adolescence. Despite evidence that body dissatisfaction can emerge during the elementary school years, the majority of body confidence programs are for girls over the age of 15. There is very little to no research on interventions for elementary school children. The Body Project is an empirically supported body confidence prevention program for high school girls with over 100 articles to support its efficacy, effectiveness and theoretical model; it is the only body confidence program for youth to acquire the Blueprints Certification. Together with two 4th and 5th grade teachers, the investigators have adapted the Body Project curriculum for youth between the ages of 9 to 11 years old (i.e., 4th and 5th graders). The curriculum is called Amazing Me and will be implemented in classrooms by teachers. The curriculum was developed meeting several competencies for national health and wellness standards for elementary students. The aim of the current study is to conduct a national randomized control trial of the curriculum 100 classrooms with 4th and 5th graders.
The primary aim of the current study is to deliver the Amazing Me intervention and assess its efficacy. It is hypothesized that compared to controls, children that undergo the body confidence curriculum will report higher body satisfaction and body esteem scores, overall greater self-esteem, and will report less engagement in appearance comparisons.
