Understanding the role of gender in body image research settings: Participant gender preferences for researchers and co-participants in interviews, focus groups and interventions

• Undergraduates provided gender preferences for body image researchers and co-participants.
• Most men stated that they would be happy with ‘either’ a male or a female.
• Most women preferred female researchers for body image interviews and interventions.
• Men and women preferred mixed-sex environments for focus groups and interventions.
• Men and women with high levels of body dissatisfaction had stronger gender preferences.

Participant gender preferences for body image researchers, interventionists and focus group and intervention co-participants have been largely ignored, despite recognition that such characteristics can influence the nature and quality of data collected and intervention effects. To address this, Australian women (n = 505) and men (n = 220) completed a questionnaire about their preferences for interviewers and focus group facilitators, for teachers delivering school-based interventions, and for co-participants in these settings. Women predominantly preferred female interviewers and teachers, and mixed-sex co-participants, but most had no preference for focus group facilitators. Body dissatisfied women were more likely to prefer female researchers and single-sex co-participants. Most men did not have specific preferences, however, body dissatisfied men were more likely to report a gender preference for interviewers and teachers. Professional capabilities, personal qualities and appearance were regarded as important researcher characteristics. These findings have important implications for body image research, particularly among high-risk groups.