Differences in Body Image Among Collegiate Athletes and NonAthletes

1
Differences in Body Image Among Collegiate
Athletes and Non-Athletes

• Stephanie Voigt, Amber Adkins, Brock Henry

2
Introduction

• Body Image
• How one thinks of themselves internally of their
  outward appearance
• Negative Effects of Poor Body Image
• Depression, eating disorders, low self-esteem and
  distorted thought processes

3
Literature Review

• Athletes
• Involvement in athletics decreases depression
  endorphins (Fox, 2000)
• Physically fit from athletic activity
• Nonathletes (Davis Cowles, 1989)
• Athletes are constantly scrutinized
• Expectations
• Social pressures (coaches, teammates, judges)

4
Participants

• 60 participants
• 25 male collegiate athlete
• 25 female collegiate athlete
• 25 male non-athlete
• 25 female non-athlete
• Freshmen students at HC
• 17-19 year olds

5
Materials

• Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults
• 1 to 5 Likert Scale
• 21 items evaluating appearance, attribution, and
  weight
• Weight I am preoccupied with trying to change
  my body weight.
• Appearance I like what I see when I look in the
  mirror.
• Attribution I think my appearance would help me
  get a job.
• Cronbachs Alpha 0.85
• 5 demographics
• Age, weight, height, current athlete, and former
  athlete

6
Procedure

• Procedure
• Informed Consent
• Questionnaire
• Debrief and Dismissal

7
Results

• Hypothesis athletes? body image
• nonathletes? less body image
• Difference was not significant between athletes
• However, there was an interesting finding

8
Gender Differences

• Males were found to have a significantly more
  positive body image than females
• Jones
• Less social comparison
• Appearance conversations
• Brumberg
• Historical influence

9
Female Difference

• Female former athletes had more positive body
  image than current
• Hausenblas
• Group influences
• Jones
• Social comparison and appearance conversations
• Cusmano Thompson
• Commitment to appearance ideal

10
Limitations

• Males
• Questionnaire addressed weight (w/ article
  support)
• Formality
• Females
• Confidentiality concern
• Atmosphere? with friends, researchers watching
• Defining current vs. former athlete
• Only a few months to one year
• Division III vs Division I

11
In conclusion

• Hypothesis body image ? athletes
• - body image ? nonathletes
• Findings
• Males have higher body image than females
• Female athletes have slightly lower body image
  than female nonathletes
• Future Research Suggestions
• Senior comparison group, Div. I comparison school