2. Literature Review
● McGrath and colleagues (2010) examined the
relationship of resiliency to body image dissatisfaction in
college women
● Hypothesized:
○ (1) resiliency may have measurable mitigating effect
on body image dissatisfaction in young women
○ (2) as a young woman's resiliency increases, her
body dissatisfaction will decrease
● Findings: significant protective relationship between
level of a woman's resilience and holding a negative
body image
3. Literature Review
● Mak and colleagues (2011) tested whether the
relationships among resilience, life satisfaction, and
depression could be explained by the positive cognitive
triad
● Aim of the study: to test if positive thinking can explain the
linkage between resilience and well-being
● Hypothesized: resilient individuals who have positive views
about themselves, the world and the future, will promote
their positive emotionality and life satisfaction and protect
them from depression
● Findings: relationship between resilience and well-being
can be mediated by the positive cognitive triad
4. Application of Theory
● Main construct used:
○ Embracing your innate resilience
■ Self actualization
■ Altruism
■ Harmony
■ Wisdom
5. Application of Theory
● Embracing your innate resilience
○ Self-actualization
■ Maslow's advice - the importance of maintaining
physical health and having a firm foundation
■ Health At Every Size (HAES):
● PA should be pleasurable and enjoyable
● Focus on enjoyment of PA and not on weight
loss
● Emphasize an appreciation for the body's
capabilities
● Allowing your body to be at the size it needs to
be and accepting it
● Enhance quality of life
6. Application of Theory
● Altruism
○ Since depression involves a high degree of focus
on the self, focusing on the needs of others will
help shift ones thinking
○ Positive feedback loop
○ Challenging individuals to do small acts of service
■ By doing service, individuals:
● will not have the opportunity to compare
themselves to others
● will feel more satisfied with themselves
7. Application of Theory
● Harmony
○ Providing tools for grounding in turbulent times
■ Yoga
■ Meditation
■ Cultivating mindfulness
■ Learning how to be in the present
○ HAES
○ Physiological hunger
○ Being in tune with your body
8. Application of Theory
○ Wisdom
■ Building upon individuals desires:
● Positive psychology
○ Amplify strengths
○ Human strengths that act as buffers against
mental illness:
- Courage - Future Mindedness
- Optimism - Faith
- Work ethics - Hope
- Honesty - Capacity for flow
■ Strengthening optimism prevents depression
○ Engaging in activities to promote positive emotions
(Seligman, Schulman, DeRubeis, & Hollon, 1999)
(Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000)
9. Application of Theory
● Strengthen innate drives
○ Positive thinking
■ equip individuals with self-comptence and positive
expectations of the world and the future
■ being more mindful
■ living in the present
■ reframing adverse events in a positive light
■ infusing ordinary events with positive value
■ pursuing and achieving realistic goals
● setting realistic, attainable goals for weight and
shape
