22 July 2025

Editor-in-Chief

Revista Interamericana de Psicología/Interamerican Journal of Psychology

Dear Editor-in-Chief,

I am pleased to submit our manuscript, "Intervention on Body Image in University Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study," for consideration as an original research article. This study investigates the impact of the Body Project, a cognitive dissonance-based group intervention, on body image among Venezuelan university students.

Body image concerns represent a significant global mental health issue, exacerbated by sociocultural pressures and the pervasive influence of social media. While the Body Project has demonstrated robust effectiveness across various international contexts, its applicability within the Venezuelan university population had not been previously explored. Our quasi-experimental study aimed to address this gap by evaluating the program's effect in this specific local context, providing preliminary evidence to justify future larger-scale research.

Our findings indicate a statistically significant and notably large reduction in body dissatisfaction scores following the intervention among the student participants (mean ATBFQ score decreased from 36.86 at pre-test to 24.71 at post-test, with a large effect size of d = -1.909). This positive impact was observed in both women (d = -1.590) and men (d = -2.56), reinforcing the program's effectiveness across sexes and its potential for diverse populations. These results align with previous meta-analytical reviews supporting the potency of dissonance-based interventions in promoting healthy body image and reducing risk factors for eating disorders.

Despite the inherent limitations of our quasi-experimental design, including a modest sample size and the absence of a control group, the robust effect sizes observed provide promising initial evidence for the Body Project's applicability and efficacy within the Venezuelan university setting. We believe these preliminary findings contribute valuable insights into the prevention of body image concerns in a culturally distinct Latin American context and lay the groundwork for more rigorous future studies.

Please note that this manuscript was originally drafted in Latin American Spanish and has been meticulously translated into British English to ensure clarity and accuracy.

We confirm that this manuscript has not been previously published and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. All authors have approved the manuscript and agree with its submission to Interamerican Journal of Psychology. We also confirm that the study was conducted in strict adherence to ethical principles governing research involving human participants, including obtaining informed consent and ensuring confidentiality.

Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to your positive response.




Yours sincerely,

Carlos Enrique Zerpa