Exploring adolescent girls’ experiences of body talk in non-aesthetic sport

Abstract

IntroductionBody image concerns may contribute to poor sport experiences and low sport participation in girls. Objectification theory and evidence from studies in non-sport contexts suggests body talk may elicit an environment that fosters negative body image. However, the phenomenon of body talk within adolescent girls sport is not well-understood from an in-depth person-centered perspective. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to explore adolescent girl athletes’ experiences of body talk within sport. MethodsTwenty Canadian girl athletes (ages 14–18 years) enrolled in team-based non-aesthetic sports participated in one semi-structured interview. Using a qualitative description approach, an inductive thematic analysis was used to generate three themes. Results“Body talk as a performance tactic” highlighted complimentary and negative body talk pertaining to sport performance came from coaches, opposing players, and parents. “Casual conversations and body talk” reflected body talk from teammates and male spectators that was not specific to sport but occurred in the sport context. “Coping with body talk” reflected strategies athletes used to combat negative body talk from teammates, and reflected the athletes’ perceptions that negativity towards the body is normative. ConclusionsBody talk served many purposes within sport; researchers should further explore the diverse motivations and perceived utility of body talk across sport stakeholders. Creating standardized resources and policies to eliminate body talk may foster more positive and supportive sport experiences for girls.