Body image satisfaction among intercollegiate female athletes using a scale of muscularity.

Abstract

In recent years it has become more apparent that disordered eating and unrealistic concepts of attractiveness have created a major problem in women, especially young adult female athletes. The present study administed a variety of body image, dieting, and eating-oriented questionnaires to 61 female intercollegiate athletes. Track/Field, Soccer, Basketball, Cheerleading, Softball, and Volleyball were represented. Questionnaires included a pictorial body image scale that varied in terms of muscularity, the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI), the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), the Eating Habits Questionnaire (EHQ), and a food neophobic/neophilic scale (FNS). Female athletes in all sports chose an “IDEAL” figure which was less muscular than their “CURRENT” figure. Soccer players had the lowest body dissatisfaction and volleyball players had the highest. Among the EDI sub-scales, there was a significant difference between Track and Field and Basketball on the scale of Bulimina, with Track and Field being highest and Basketball being lowest. There was a trend in Perfectionism between Cheerleading being the lowest and Track and Field being the highest. In addition, there was a significant correlation between 6 of the 8 EDI sub-scales and body dissatisfaction. Drive for thinness, interceptive awareness, bulimia, body dissatisfaction, ineffectiveness, and maturity fears were all correlated with levels of body dissatisfaction. These results further support the need for intervention and education concerning promoting realistic body expectations among female athletes.