The Effect of Sport Recreation Participants’Body Image Perceptions on Their Recreation Anxiety: The Role of Gender

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 5 Sayı: Special Issue (SI) IXASC 2025, 201 - 210, 31.08.2025

Ali Yasin Kafes , Ayşe Hazal Dündar

Öz

Recreation is the utilisation of individuals’ free time outside working hours. Recreation anxiety refers to the stress and anxiety experienced by individuals during participation in these leisure time activities. Recreation anxiety is affected by many factors and has an effect on individuals’ well-being. This study aims to examine the relationship between individuals’ body image perception and recreation anxiety and the regulatory role of gender in this relationship. For this purpose, analyses were carried out with the data obtained from 295 volunteer participants, 148 of whom were female and 147 of whom were male. Recreation anxiety was assessed with the Recreation Anxiety Scale and body image perception was assessed with the Body Image Scale. As a result of the analysis, it was seen that increasing body image anxiety showed a significant relationship with increasing recreation anxiety. It was found that the regulatory role of gender in the relationship between body image anxiety and recreation anxiety was not significant. In especially sportive recreation activities, the negative evaluation of body image may be an important cause of anxiety due to performance, social comparisons and aesthetic expectations. It is thought that this situation may cause a decrease in intrinsic motivation, an increase in recreation anxiety and thus a decrease in participation in sportive activities. Although women feel pressure towards body image due to expectations of being thin and aesthetic, it is seen that men may also feel anxiety towards body image due to social expectations of being muscular and strong. Therefore, women and men may feel similar levels of body image anxiety, albeit with different expectations. The relationship between recreation anxiety and body image perception is complex and multifaceted. Therefore, this relationship needs to be explained by different factors and cross-cultural studies are needed.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Sport Recreation , Recreation Anxiety , Body Image , Gender , Psychology Behaviour

Kaynakça

• Aksu, G., Eser, M. T. & Güzeller, C. O. (2017). Açımlayıcı ve doğrulayıcı faktör analizi ile yapısal eşitlik modeli uygulamaları, Detay Yayıncılık.