European statistics confirm a rise in breast cancer among contemporary women. Those suffering from cancer and undergoing a surgery (mastectomy) are undoubtedly considered to be in difficult situations. The range of the numerous negative and/or positive emotions, thoughts, and behaviours depend on many psychological factors such as psychological resilience. The authors are currently drawing a report on their own studies where they are trying to determine factors that protect body image resilience in women suffering from breast cancer after mastectomies. The research group consisted of 120 women after a short (up to 2 years) or a long (over 2 years) duration having elapsed since their mastectomy. The results of the research groups show that psychological resilience is a significant protecting factor for the body image that prevents the excessive development of negative self-esteem in post-mastectomy women. Female patients ought to be provided aid in the short time immediately after the procedure and afterwards, when they are less capable of tolerating negative emotions. In order to significantly improve the general body image resilience to emotional and cognitive distortions in post-mastectomy women who experienced breast cancer, it is recommended that psychological interventions (from psychoeducation to psychological assistance and specialist psychotherapy) are conducted systematically throughout the course of treatment.

The main research objective was seeking for the predictive role of such personal resources as resilience, sense of coherence, and coping with stress in psychological well-being of schizophrenia patients and their treatment. The study group comprised 201 individuals with schizophrenia, aged between 18 and 62. The following instruments were used: The sense of coherence scale SOC-29, The resilience scale for adults, polish adaptation of the stress appraisal measure, semistructured clinical interview, the positive and negative syndrome scale, the mood scale, and the general health questionnaire. A stepwise regression analysis aimed at selecting a group of significant predictors for the verified factors of psychological well-being in patients suffering from schizophrenia was carried out. The results of the study demonstrated the following to be significant predictors of psychological well-being in patients with schizophrenia: Resilience (explaining significantly the level of schizophrenic symptomatology Beta = −0.30, negative symptoms Beta = −0.385, and cognitive disorders Beta = −0.303), sense of coherence, which significantly predicted mood (in the case of manageability, Beta = 0.580 for positive mood, and Beta = 0.534 for negative mood) and psychiatric symptomatology (comprehensibility, Beta = 0.311 for negative symptoms, Beta = 0.173 for excessive arousal, and Beta = 0.330 for cognitive disorganization). The level of perceived stress appraised as challenge predicted positive mood (Beta = 0.164), while stress appraisal in terms of threat served as a predictor for negative mood and depressiveness (Beta = 0.190). The study results can prove helpful in creating therapeutic and programs and psychiatric rehabilitation for patients with schizophrenia.

The growing number of women, who are characterized by restrictive and bulimic behaviours towards their own body is observed especially in countries influenced by Westernalization. However, there is a lack of cross-cultural studies in this area. The main aim of the present study was to examine the psychological and socio-cultural risk factors for eating disorders in Polish and Japanese women. A cross-sectional research study was conducted among 18- to 29-year old Polish (n = 89) and Japanese (n = 97) women. The variables were measured using the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Scale SATAQ-3, and the Eating Disorders Inventory EDI-3. The descriptive and comparative statistics, Spearman’s rho, and the stepwise regression analysis were used. The global internalization of socio-cultural standards of body image proved to be a significant predictor of Body Dissatisfaction among Polish and Japanese women. The main analysis showed a significant relation between the Drive for Thinness and Interoceptive Deficits in the group of Japanese women, as well as a correlation between Drive for Thinness and Asceticism in the group of Polish women. The obtained results could improve the prevention aimed the dysfunctional eating behaviours. However, the cultural nuances need to be considered in understanding the risk factors for eating disorders.

The aim of this paper is to identify psychological factors which are culture specific or common predictors for restrictive and bulimic behaviors towards eating for young women raised in different cultures. The study included 661 young women from Poland (n = 233) and Vietnam (n = 428). Subjects filled-in the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI-3) and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scales (MBSRQ-AS), and body measurements were collected to calculate anthropometric indices. Women form Vietnam were less satisfied with their appearance than were their Polish peers, but Vietnamese showed a lower level of preoccupation with being overweight and fear of obesity. Intercultural differences indicate that Vietnamese women show greater intensities for psychological variables, connected with restrictive and bulimic eating behaviors, verified in the research model: low self-esteem, personal alienation, interpersonal insecurity, interpersonal alienation, emotional dysregulation, interoceptive deficits, perfectionism and asceticism, and anxiety.

In Poland, there is no tool for measuring the variable body image that would have standardization or Polish norms adjusted to the population of both women and men. The available Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBRSQ) validation developed in Poland was based on a small population of young women only. The aim of this article is to present Polish adaptation and standardization for polish adult women and men (MBSRQ-AS). In the study, the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Polish version of MBSRQ-AS were tested. The participants were 2688 people, including 1699 young women and 1089 young men. In order to investigate the psychometric properties of the adapted Polish tool, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed. Then, the reliability coefficients were calculated, and the descriptive statistics of individual subscales were checked. The separated subscales are characterized by high indexes of factor loadings, ranging most often from 0.47 to 0.78. Separate subscales of the MBRSQ-PL questionnaire were defined: (1) self-esteem of the body and its parts, (2) self-assessment of physical, (3) self-assessment of external appearance, (4) Negation of one’s own physical activity, (5) Self-assessment of health condition, (6) health anxiety, (7) fear of gaining weight, (8) neglecting health and appearance.

The main aims of this study were to determine which sociocultural predictors of obligatory exercise are universal for young men or women and which are specific to particular cultural conditions (Polish or Chinese culture) and to examine the mediating role of eating attitudes. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Poles (n = 259) and Chinese (n = 208) aged 18 to 30. Descriptive and comparative statistics, Spearman’s rho, and multiple regression analysis were used. The main analyses showed that Internalization—Athlete was a common positive direct predictor of obligatory exercise among young Polish and Chinese women; Information and Internalization—Athlete were only specific direct positive predictors of obligatory exercise in young Chinese men; some variables in eating attitudes mediated the development of obligatory exercise in young Polish and Chinese men and women and indicated that there were cross-cultural differences. In understanding obligatory exercise among young people, attention should be paid to their sociocultural attitudes toward the body and eating, and cultural and gender differences need to be considered.