Media literacy programs in the prevention of eating disorders:

Potentials, efficacy and limitations

Kornlia Szab, Irena Szumska, Ferenc Try
Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary

Introduction. In the current study the literature on studies introducing media literacy
programs as potential methods in the prevention of eating disorders had been
extensively reviewed. Media literacy is most often defined as the ability to access,
analyse, evaluate, and create media in a variety of forms.1
In the past decades, media literacy came to the forefront in the international eating
disorders literature. Different forms of mass media (e.g. television, magazines and
internet) are possibly contributing to the development and maintenance of eating
disorders. Hence, comprehensive media literacy prevention programs are of utmost
importance.

Methods. Relevant articles meeting the selected search criteria from 1990 until 2012 derived
from the databases: Science Direct (http://www.sciencedirect.com/), American Psychological
Association (http://www.apa.org/), Springer-Verlag GmbH (http://www.springerlink.com/), SAGE
Publications Ltd (http://online.sagepub.com/), Taylor & Francis Online (http://www.tandfonline.com/),
and PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/) had been analysed. Studies were identified
by using the following keywords: media literacy, eating disorders, media analysis, media
education. The literature search was conducted initially by the first author.

Table 1.
Sample

Age

Gender

Description

Setting

Length

Females

Participants watched Jean Kilbournes film Slim Hopes

then received a media literacy lesson.

Quasi-experimental, post-test only design.

Control: 20
minutes,
Experimental:
60 minutes

Measures at baseline and 3 weeks later.

4 * 95 minutes

1.
(1998) 2

41 high school students

(Experimental group= 24;
Control group= 17)

2.
(1998)3

105 undergraduate college

students (Intervention group=
60, Control group= 45)

18-23

Both

Four consecutive class sessions. Investigated whether

reframing or analysing fashion advertisements change the
students attitudes and behaviours regarding their own
body images.

3.
(1999)4

30 undergraduate students

18-22

Females

Dissonance-based targeted preventive, three-session

(weekly) intervention.

Baseline, termination and a 1-month followup survey.

3 * 60 minutes

Females

A 2-day intervention program (videos and discussion) was

implemented. Focus was on analysing media messages,
increasing awareness and increasing acceptance of a wide
range of body shapes and sizes.

Pre-test, post-test, follow up (3 months after

the program). Solomon Four-Group Design:
intervention pre-test, intervention no
pre-test, control pre-test, control no pretest.

60 minutes/ day

Females

GO GIRLS! (Giving Our Girls Inspiration and Resources for

Lasting Self-Esteem) The goal is to prevent the
development of eating disorders among high school
students through media literacy education, media
activism, and media advocacy.

Twelve group meetings, one each week.

Quasi-experimental design, measures before
and after the program (three months later).

60 minutes/
week

Females

Free to be me, media literacy program, which focuses on

helping girls developing skills for recognizing media
advertising strategies and to reframe media messages.

Post-intervention and 3-month follow up.

6 * 60 minutes

Females

Two distinct (externally-oriented and internally-oriented)

media literacy interventions promoting media scepticism
and aiming to reduce negative body image.

4 different interventions (externally-oriented

and internally-oriented, video-only
intervention, (Slim Hopes) no intervention
control).

45 minutes

Both

Media literacy program and a self-esteem program

designed to reduce general and specific risk factors for
eating disorders.

Measures at baseline, post-intervention and

three-month follow-up.

5*50 minutes

Effects of a media intervention program on the body

esteem and eating attitudes of school-aged children.

Treatment group (media intervention) and

control group (drug intervention). Measures
at baseline and two weeks after the initial
intervention.

45 minutes

Females

ARMED; prevention intervention for college women at

low- or high risk for eating disorders.

Two-session media literacy intervention.

Measures were administered 1 week before
and 8 weeks after the intervention.

90 minutes

Both

A single media literacy lesson in the purpose of reducing

media internalization in young adolescents. Key points:
literacy, activism, and advocacy.

Measures at baseline and post-intervention

(two weeks later).

50 minutes

Both

Comparing the efficacy of 2 eight-lesson programs,

targeting perfectionism and media literacy compared to
control classes in reducing eating disorder risk. Key
concepts: literacy, activism, and advocacy.

Measures at baseline, post-program and 3month follow-up.

1*50
minutes/week
and 2*50
minutes/week

Both

Theoretically informed media literacy program delivered

to a mixed-sex, universal young adolescent audience.
Media Smart is an interactive program, constructed
around key concepts of literacy, activism, and advocacy.

8-lesson media literacy program vs. normal

school lessons, measures at baseline, postprogram (1 month later), and 6- and 30month follow-up.

2*50 minutes/
week

4.
(1999) 5

5.
(2000) 6

6.
(2000) 7

7.
(2001) 8

8.
(2002) 9

172 elementary school

students

162 middle & high school

students (Experimental
group= 72, Control group= 90)

226 elementary students

110 college students

86 private school students (53

boys and 33 girls)

15.3
(SD= 0.48)

10 years 10
month
(SD=0.86)

16-18

10.6 (SD= 0.7)

18.93
(SD= 2.07)

13.42
(SD=0.39)

9.
(2004)10

51 children ( 24 boys and 27

girls)

5-11 (7.22)

10.
(2006) 11

92 undergraduate students
(Control group= 47;
Experimental group= 45.)

Control
group=19.6;
Experimental
group= 20.2

11.
(2006)12

237 students (100 girls, 137

boys)

12.
(2008) 13

127 students

13.
(2009) 14

540 students; (Control group=

147 girls and 160 boys;
Experimental group= 126
girls and 107 boys)

13.79
(SD= 0.42)

15.0 (SD=0.4)

13.62
(SD= 0.37)

Both

Results. The most effective media literacy prevention programs were complex
programs which contained elements that focused not solely on body image and
problems related to eating habits, but also put emphasis on combating social pressure
and improving critical thinking in relation to societal standards and media messages.
The most effective programs were the longer ones, and contained several sessions.
Many prevention programs were successful in reducing body image concerns,
dysfunctional eating habits and concerns. Furthermore, they had great impact on
critical thinking and media advocacy.

Conclusion. Media literacy programs proved to be effective programs with the potential to
reduce general and specific risk factors for eating disorders. Future directions regarding
research and practice in the prevention of eating disorders with special focus on media
literacy should focus on longer interventions and involve both genders. Psychoeducational
programs are promising in reducing the credibility and persuasive media influence. However,
cognitive dissonance programs might be a better tool to reduce the negative effects of thin
ideals presented in the media through their success in achieving behavioural change.
Contact. Kornlia Szab: szabkor@net.sote.hu

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