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.