Women Athletes and Aspects of Psychological Well-Being and Body Image

Abstract

Abstract The dependent variables in the present study included measures of psychological well-being and body image. Analyses were made of (1) women athletes and nonathletes and, (2) women gymnasts and basketball players. The women athletes had higher scores than the nonathletes on both measures of psychological well-being and body image. The gymnasts had higher scores on the psychological well-being items than the basketball players but these findings were not statistically significant and the differences between the two sports on the measures of body image were inconclusive. The findings of this study raise questions about the negative stereotypes regarding women athletes. Some evidence also suggests that stereotyped differences between sports by women are breaking down.