Study Status
Completed
Project Team
Principal Investigator(s): Anahí Collado, PhD
Research Team Members: Desiree Bauer, MPH; Antonella Onofrietti Magrassi, PhD; Diego Vidaurre; Ilse Amateco; Ana Carcoba; Karen Guardado; Airy Porras; Beatriz Sanchez
Alignment with Crown Institute Vision
This study contributes to the wellness of young people with a focus on improving body satisfaction, resisting harmful appearance ideals, and building self-confidence and community connection among Latina adolescents and emerging adults.
Background & Context
Body dissatisfaction affects over 50% of teenage girls across racial and ethnic groups, and is linked to disordered eating, depression, and low self-esteem (Neumark-Sztainer, 2005; Paxton et al., 2006). Latina adolescents and emerging adults report high rates of body dissatisfaction and have elevated rates of bulimia nervosa and use of unhealthy weight control behaviors (Jackson et al., 2019; Ayala et al., 2007; Cachelin et al., 2000). Despite this risk, culturally responsive prevention programs tailored to Latina youth are scarce.
Primary Aims
Our research is focused on the overall aim of developing and evaluating a culturally responsive version of the mind.body.voice. (m.b.v.) curriculum for Latina adolescents and emerging adults (ages 13–22). We are addressing the following specific aims:
- To explore the cultural relevance of the m.b.v. curriculum with Latina adolescents and young adults.
- To assess the feasibility and acceptability of the adapted m.b.v.-LatinaStrong program; to examine preliminary effects on primary outcomes of body image satisfaction, disordered eating, internalization of appearance ideals, and sense of belonging and secondary outcomes of anxiety and depression; and to explore the extent to which acculturation and perceived discrimination moderate preliminary indicators of effectiveness.
Research Methods
We are currently conducting the second phase of The Crown Institute Participatory Research Approach, which focuses on identifying and understanding needs to inform co-design. We utilized a mixed-methods approach that included virtual focus groups (N = 17) to explore cultural relevance and guide curriculum adaptations, as well as a non-randomized open trial with Latina adolescents and emerging adults (N = 200) to evaluate feasibility and preliminary effectiveness.
Key Findings & Publications /
Presentations
These studies are ongoing. A conference presentation summarized our aims and methodological approach in August 2025.
Onofrietti Magrassi, A. (2025). LatinaStrong – Promoting Cultural Celebration and Belonging. In session Empowering Youth to Challenge Appearance Biases: Tailored Approaches Across Cultures and Settings. APA Annual Convention, Denver, CO.
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References
Ayala, G. X., Mickens, L., Galindo, P., & Elder, J. P. (2007). Acculturation and body image perception among Latino youth. Ethnicity and Health, 12(1), 21–41.
Cachelin, F. M., Veisel, C., Barzegarnazari, E., & Striegel-Moore, R. H. (2000). Disordered eating, acculturation, and treatment-seeking in a community sample of Hispanic, Asian, Black, and White women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 24(3), 244–253.
Jackson, F. F. J., Chapa, S., Lee, J., & Davis, K. A. (2019). Body image dissatisfaction among women of color: Examining the influence of cultural messages. Journal of Cultural Marketing Strategy, 3(2), 131–151.
Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2005). “I’m, Like, SO Fat!”: Helping your teen make healthy choices about eating and exercise in a weight-obsessed world. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Paxton, S. J., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Hannon, P. J., & Eisenberg, M. E. (2006). Body dissatisfaction prospectively predicts depressive mood and low self-esteem in adolescent girls and boys. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 35(4), 539–549. doi:10.1207/s15374424jccp3504_5