Investigation of the Relationship Between Narcissism Tendencies and Eating Disorders in Elite Athletes

Abstract

The increase in eating disorders in the athlete population is remarkable. Disorders concerning eating impulse, bodyweight obsession, negative thoughts about body shape, and accompanying affective disorders are psychological disorders in which eating behavior is seriously affected. A narcissistic personality disorder is defined as a continuous pattern that includes a superiority complex, inability to empathize, and the need to be approved. Some narcissistic characteristics such as a desire for unlimited power, success, beauty, and approval may be related to the eating habits of athletes. This study was to examine the relationship between the tendency of narcissism and eating disorders in elite athletes. Participants of the study were 223 elite athletes (99 men, 124 women) from different sports branches aged between 18-36 years old. The Narcissistic Personality Inventory-16 and the Eating Attitude Test were used as data collection tools. Spearman Correlation Analysis and Mann- Whitney U Test were used in the analysis of the data. A very weak positive relationship was found between eating disorder scores and narcissism scores (p<0.05). A very weak positive correlation was found between the exhibitionism sub-dimension and eating disorders tendency (p<0.01). There is a very weak positive relationship between narcissism tendency and eating disorder tendency variables and also between exhibitionism and eating disorders tendency. Therefore, athletes should be informed about nutrition for their performance by following interdisciplinary approaches.