"To be comfortable in their own skin": Preliminary findings related to improved body positivity among SHE Tribe participants

Purpose: SHE (She's Healthy and Empowered) Tribe is a wellness program that encourages women to make healthy lifestyle choices. The goal of the program is to promote accountability, self-awareness and reflection, and positive growth. Over the course of five weeks, participants work on goal setting, stress management, movement, nutrition, and social support. Methods: Pre and post surveys were administered to participants which gather information on health habits as well as self-efficacy and body appreciation, through both in-person paper and electronic assessments that ask about current health behavior choices. The surveys include both open and closed ended questions. Information gathered from these surveys was analyzed for change in process, outcome and impact of the program. Results: Preliminary findings demonstrate that participants increased body appreciation and improved overall quality of life after participating in the SHE Tribe program. Participants also reported improved self-awareness and adoption of self-care practices. Participant ratings and qualitative responses show high levels of satisfaction with the program. Conclusions: These findings offer a preliminary indication that participants increased their positivity about their bodies. As a program geared towards improving women's health through lifestyle changes, enhancing body positivity can be an essential step towards increasing self-confidence to improve one's belief that she is in control of their health. Positive participant satisfaction responses suggest that the format of the program is succeeding in reaching participants.