Mills, Jennifer SGobin, Keisha Cherie Shalini2019-11-222019-11-222019-062019-11-22http://hdl.handle.net/10315/36730The current study aims to extend the literature on cognitive defusion and test its effectiveness in the treatment of body dissatisfaction. In a randomized controlled trial, 122 female restrained eaters either 1) verbally repeated negative body-related thoughts, 2) sang negative body-related thoughts, 3) verbally repeated body-unrelated thoughts (control), or 4) sang body-unrelated thoughts (control) twice daily for one week. The goal of this study was to determine whether singing ones negative body-related thoughts could lead to greater changes in perception of the thought, body image satisfaction, mood, and self-esteem relative to a control condition. The results indicate that all conditions effectively changed appraisals of the thought after one week of practice, improved body image satisfaction, and increased self-esteem. There were also immediate reductions in anxiety and depressive mood. The results are discussed in the context of various forms of cognitive defusion.Author owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.Clinical psychologyElectronic Thesis or Dissertation2019-11-22body dissatisfactioncognitive defusionacceptance and commitment therapyverbal repetitionsinging