Body Image: A Handbook of Theory, Research, and Clinical Practice [Paperback]

Thomas F. Cash PhD (Editor), Thomas Pruzinsky Phd (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1593850158 | ISBN-13: 978-1593850159 | Publication Date: January 13, 2004 | Edition: 1

This uniquely integrative handbook provides a comprehensive account of current theory, research, and clinical practice in the area of body image and body image disorders. The volume's 57 concise chapters have been contributed by internationally recognized experts from diverse mental health, medical, and allied health care disciplines. Authors review the nature and functions of body image; examine psychological, social-contextual, and physical influences on body image experiences; and present effective ways to assess, alleviate, and prevent body image-related suffering. Capturing the richness and complexity of the field in a readily accessible format, every chapter concludes with an informative annotated bibliography.

Editorial Reviews

From The New England Journal of Medicine

"Body image, the multifaceted psychological experience of embodiment, profoundly influences the quality of human life," state the editors in the preface to this book. Thomas Cash and Thomas Pruzinsky have managed to pull together a collection of writing to support this powerful statement. The past decade has witnessed a considerable increase in the attention paid by clinicians and researchers to body image. Body Image consists of 57 chapters written by recognized experts, who provide concise, authoritative, state-of-the-art summaries of each topic. This book should prove to be of considerable interest to the many physicians who encounter the complexities of body image in their patients. Although contemporary scholarship concerning body image dates back to the seminal writings of neurologist Paul Schilder, who espoused a biopsychosocial approach to body image, it was not until the 1990s that this topic aroused broad attention. The intervening years were not without scholarship. Seymour Fisher's work and rigorous reviews of relevant concepts, primarily from a psychodynamic perspective, are especially noteworthy. Movement back to a broader, multifaceted view of body image can be attributed in part to Franklin Shontz's influential Perceptual and Cognitive Aspects of Body Experience, published in 1969, and to Body Images: Development, Deviance, and Change, also edited by Cash and Pruzinsky and published in 1990. In that book, the multidimensional and diverse nature of body image was a salient theme explored with an appreciation of broader contexts, such as medical conditions. Several excellent books pertaining to body-image issues were published in the 1990s, but this new book is unique. The editors' stated aims were to produce "an informative and inspiring new volume" that provides contemporary views and "comprehensive coverage" of body image with "clinical perspectives" for practice and "constructive ideas" for future research. The editors succeeded in meeting these ambitious aims. The concise chapters provide balanced views of the myriad topics presented. Although most of the chapters were written by experts in their respective fields, it is refreshing that for some of them the editors enlisted newer clinicians and researchers. The result is that the material is not simply recycled information. The 57 chapters are divided into eight sections (on conceptual foundations, developmental perspectives, assessment, individual and cultural differences, body-image disorders, medical contexts, medical and surgical interventions, and psychosocial interventions), which are followed by a chapter offering conclusions and future directions. The chapters provide brief authoritative accounts, and the annotated referencing points interested readers to key works. The referencing is judicious, and careful editing seems to have minimized duplication and redundancy. Diverse perspectives on body image (including sociocultural, perceptional and cognitive, psychological, familial, and feminist views) are detailed, as are body-image issues across the entire life span. One of the strongest aspects of this book is its consideration of body image in so many different groups (for instance, boys, girls, men, women, persons of various races, and persons with physical disabilities) and of persons with eating disorders and weight-related problems. Particularly impressive is the coverage of body image in medical contexts, including dermatology, dentistry, obstetrics, urology, endocrinology, oncology, and management of human immunodeficiency virus infection and AIDS. The book has practical information for clinicians and clinical researchers. For example, the chapter by Thompson and van den Berg, on measuring body-image attitudes in adolescents and adults, contains concise summaries of relevant methods and instruments along with their strengths, weaknesses, and sources. The chapters on medical, surgical, and psychosocial interventions present balanced summaries of current knowledge and offer suggestions for sensitive clinical care, intervention options, and future research. The chapter by Sarwer is particularly timely given the continued rise in cosmetic surgery. Pruzinsky's chapter on responses to reconstructive surgery for acquired disfigurement offers some valuable observations for those in the healing professions. This timely book may encourage greater communication and cross-fertilization among disciplines and fields. It provides a wealth of ideas for those interested in this fascinating topic and will serve as a valuable and frequently referenced resource. Carlos M. Grilo, Ph.D.
Copyright © 2003 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved. The New England Journal of Medicine is a registered trademark of the MMS. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"The subjective representation and experience of the physical body is an essential ingredient of our personality. While most often an adaptive and silent aspect of normal functioning, the 'body image' may become deeply embroiled in conflict and pathology--most notably in anorexia and bulimia--but in many other common psycho-medical conditions as well. Drs. Cash and Pruzinsky have brought to bear years of specialized experience."--Leo Goldberger, PhD, Department of Psychology, New York University

"It is a pleasure to find a book that so ably fulfills its purpose with authority and thoroughness, and without pedantry or tedium. This well-edited volume will be helpful--even indispensable--to students and professionals concerned with body image and its alterations: real or imagined, congenital, developmental, or acquired. Pediatricians, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, plastic surgeons, dermatologists, endocrinologists, gynecologists, urologists, oncologists, internists, and others will find the range of the chapters extensive and their readability admirable."--Robert M. Goldwyn, MD, Clinical Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School; Editor, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

"Everyone has heard that body image dissatisfaction is common enough in teenage girls to be considered a normative discontent. Few, however, know exactly what body image is, how it changes over the life cycle, or how best to measure it. Moreover, few realize that body image is as relevant to such fields as dentistry, dermatology, and oncology as it is to psychology and psychiatry. Cash and Pruzinsky have assembled the world's experts to produce this definitive volume. It will be read eagerly by undergraduate and graduate students, but particularly by practitioners who seek to alleviate the distress associated with negative body image in its many manifestations. This is a 'must read.'"--Thomas A. Wadden, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

"This remarkable handbook is encyclopedic in scope. It manages to cover in one volume all aspects of body image--from developmental and cultural aspects to psychological, pharmacological, and surgical interventions. It will be an invaluable resource for all those interested in body image and its disorders."--Christopher G. Fairburn, DM, FRCPsych, FMedSci, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 530 pages
• Publisher: The Guilford Press; 1 edition (January 13, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593850158
• ISBN-13: 978-1593850159
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #601,302 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most cited medical textbook on body image, June 27, 2008

By 

B. Latham "Always searching for the BEST" (Atlanta, Georgia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Body Image: A Handbook of Theory, Research, and Clinical Practice (Paperback)

This textbook has been cited hundreds of times in research articles related to a person's perceptions of his or her own body image, body image distortion, eating disorders, and obesity management. For example, on pp. 142-153 you will find a definitive article on measuring body image attitudes among adolescents and adults (by Thompson,JK and Van Den Berg,P). Even though textbooks seem out of print the moment they are published, this textbook is a classic and will soon become a well-worn and bookmarked text when added to the professional's bookshelf of handy references.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for Clinical Practice & Research, October 19, 2011

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Milton Stokes "Milton Stokes" (Stamford, CT) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Body Image: A Handbook of Theory, Research, and Clinical Practice (Paperback)

I'm a PhD candidate in health communication and a registered dietitian. This book is superior to others and an essential resource. I have found it valuable with my research and in working with patients.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, December 7, 2009

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Donna (VA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Body Image: A Handbook of Theory, Research, and Clinical Practice (Paperback)

This is a wonderful, thorough book. Having been a chronic dieter most of my life, and being interested in psychology, I had been searching for a book that would explain what makes my brain body-image-oriented. This book explains so many complex issues with wonderful essays and diagrams. You get a lot for your money. I'm never getting rid of this book, that's for sure. It's a classic.