Body-Related Attitudes, Self-Esteem, and Psychological Wellbeing

Dear Colleagues,

Contemporary societies are increasingly shaped by practices that modify, enhance, or present the body in line with personal and sociocultural ideals. From cosmetic procedures and tattooing to fitness regimes and everyday beautification rituals, these practices both reflect and construct body-related attitudes that have profound implications for self-esteem and psychological wellbeing. This Special Issue invites interdisciplinary contributions that advance understanding of how body-related attitudes are developed, expressed, and negotiated, and how they influence mental health, identity, and quality of life.

Topics of Interest:

We welcome original articles (both qualitative and quantitative analyses, as well as cross-sectional and longitudinal studies), systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

1. Cosmetic procedures

• Motivations for cosmetic procedures across the lifespan (e.g., young adults, menopausal women, etc.);
• Social media influence on body image and cosmetic procedure acceptance and intention;
• Psychological assessment/screening protocols for aesthetic practitioners.

2. Body modification

• Tattooing, piercing, scarification, and other forms of body modification as identity expression;
• The role of community, subculture, and belonging in shaping body-related attitudes and practices;
• Positive and negative psychological consequences of body modification.

3. Beautification practices

• Makeup, skincare, hair styling, and fashion as forms of self-presentation, self-esteem, and regulation;
• The influence of social media, digital filters, and online platforms on body image;
• Intersectional analyses of beauty practices and psychological wellbeing across gender, ethnicity, age, and class.

4. Fitness practices

• Extreme fitness practices, bodybuilding, and physique enhancement as forms of body alteration;
• The use of performance-enhancing substances (e.g., anabolic steroids, supplements) and their psychological correlates and/or impacts;
• Fitness culture, gym communities, and their impact on body satisfaction and self-esteem.

5. Body image, self-esteem, and wellbeing across the lifespan

• Longitudinal research on body dis/satisfaction and wellbeing;
• Therapeutic approaches to body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, and appearance anxiety;
• Educational initiatives promoting critical body awareness and resilience.

The Editorial Team encourages submissions from all academic levels, ranging from doctoral and early career researchers to highly experienced scholars.

Dr. Anne-Mette Hermans
Dr. Rebecca Nash
Dr. Helena Lewis-Smith
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• body image
• self-esteem
• body-related attitudes
• body modification
• cosmetic procedures
• beautification practices
• fitness practices