# Resilience Differences Among Health Professionals: Examining the Impact of Body Image Appreciation

## TL;DR

This study explores how body image appreciation affects resilience in health professionals, finding that nurses and physicians differ in their resilience levels and influencing factors.

## Contribution

The study is among the first to investigate the relationship between body image appreciation and resilience specifically among health professionals.

## Key findings

- Nurses reported significantly higher body image and resilience compared to physicians.
- Body image appreciation was a strong positive predictor of resilience for both nurses and physicians.
- Professional and personal factors like work experience and family status influenced resilience differently between the two groups.

## Abstract

Introduction: Body image (BI) is a determinant of mental health and has a strong association with self-esteem and self-worth, core elements of resilience. The relationship between BI appreciation and resilience in health professionals (HPs) remains largely unexplored.

Aim: The aim of the study was to compare HPs’ resilience and determine the relationship of resilience with BI appreciation.

Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted using an online questionnaire that was completed by 484 HPs that included a) demographic and occupational characteristics, b) the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2), and c) the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10). Data was collected between January and March 2024.

Results: Nurses reported significantly higher BI (3.96 ± 0.60 vs. 3.45 ± 0.73, p < 0.001) and resilience (3.25 ± 0.64 vs. 2.98 ± 0.55, p < 0.001) compared to physicians. Multiple regression analysis identified BI as a strong positive predictor of resilience for both nurses and physicians (p < 0.001). Nurses’ resilience was also positively associated with increased working experience (p = 0.001) and negatively with the managerial position (p < 0.001) and higher level of education (p = 0.003). Physicians’ resilience was also positively linked to cohabitation (p = 0.001) and the existence of children (p = 0.006) while negatively associated with working in internal departments (p = 0.001).

Conclusions: BI appreciation appears to play a significant role in HPs’ resilience, while professional and personal factors influence each group differently. Interventions targeting in enhancing BI appreciation among HPs are suggested.