An interpretative phenomenological analysis of men's body image concerns

The propagation and encouragement of unrealistic body ideals by consumer culture has been identified as a contributing factor in the development of body image concerns among individuals. This study examined the experiences of men who were concerned about their body appearance. To obtain experiential insights regarding body image concerns, semi-structured interviews (Mduration = 68,29 minutes) were conducted online (zoom.us) with eight adult men (heterosexual n = 4; gay n = 4; Mage = 32). The transcripts were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The analysis yielded three group experiential themes, each comprising a series of sub-themes aligned with the research objectives. These themes were as follows: (i) Toxic Myth: Men are not immune to body ideals; (ii) But affect us it does: The everyday ongoing impact of the ideal, and (iii) The duty to look aesthetically good. The findings indicate that societal norms have shaped a body ideal that is perceived and evaluated as an aesthetic product, with expectations for men to conform to this ideal. Participants report concerns about their bodies as they strive to achieve these cultural ideals, and employ a range of strategies with temporary and permanent effects to cope with these concerns.