Attitudes to Body Image in Athlete and Non-Athlete Female Students

Year 2017, Volume: 5 Issue: 4, 383 - 391, 17.12.2017

Tahmineh Saeedı Mani Izadı Hamid Arazı

Abstract

The aim of this
study was to compare attitudes to body image in athlete and non-athlete female
students. For this purpose, 200 athlete and non-athlete female students were
randomly selected and took part in the present study. Questionnaires were
distributed among volunteers and finally, 160 questionnaires were collected and
used. Self-Body image was assessed using the Multidimensional Body-Self
Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) included 69 items, 7 factors subscales and 3
additional subscales. Variables regarding athletes and non-athletes were
compared using independent sample t test. Research findings showed that the
scores of some subscales such as “Appearance Orientation” (p<0.05), “Health
Evaluation” (p<0.01), “Health Orientation” (p<0.01) and “Body Areas
Satisfaction” (p<0.01) in athletes were significantly higher than those of
non-athletes. However, scores of fitness evaluation in non-athletes were
significantly higher than athletes (p<0.01). There was no significant
difference between the two groups in other subscales. Exercise training appears
to improve some subscales of attitudes to body image of female athletes and it
can serve as a therapeutic way to enhance the attitudes of non-athlete ones.

Keywords

Appearance, Satisfaction with body, Exercise Training, Female Students

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