Self-esteem and sex roles among male and female high school students: Their relationship to physical activity

Abstract

It has been suggested that participation in sport and exercise can increase self-esteem. However, it is also argued that sport is primarily a masculine activity, and females who are involved in sport may experience some role conflict. This cross-sectional study examined Australian adolescents of both sexes, and compared those who reported exercising at least three times per week with those who did not. The male and female high-active respondents, by comparison with the low-active sample, were characterised by higher self-esteem and by higher scores on the positive-feminine scale of the Australian Sex Role Inventory. It may be possible that increased self-esteem, arising from successful participation in exercise or sport, enables young people to develop a sense of self which is less limited by social expectations of what is appropriate for one sex or the other.