Lower Social Physique Anxiety Research Articles

Relationship Between Motivational Climate to Body Esteem and Social Physique Anxiety Within College Physical Activity Classes

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of students’ perceptions of the motivational climate in their university exercise class to their body esteem (BE) and social physique anxiety (SPA). Students in physical activity classes at a Midwestern university completed a survey measuring their perceptions of the caring, task- and ego-involving features of the exercise class climate, BE (i.e., weight and appearance), and SPA. Canonical correlation analysis revealed one significant function for males and females. Loadings revealed males’ perceptions of a highly caring and task-involving climate with low emphasis on ego-involving climate features were associated with higher weight and appearance BE and lower SPA. Females were similar except the ego-involving climate did not significantly contribute to the model. Continued research may examine the link between motivational climate and BE, but mounting evidence suggests creating positive exercise environments is associated with participants’ adaptive responses, including BE and SPA.

Predictors of students' self-esteem: The importance of body self-perception and exercise

The goal of this study was to explore the predictive validity of physical self-efficacy, social physique anxiety, and physical activity in the self-esteem of students, as well as to investigate potential gender differences. The Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (SES), Physical Self-Efficacy Scale (PSES), Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS), and a short questionnaire about physical activity were administered to a sample of 232 university students. The overall results show that students are moderately physically active (on the average, 2.75 times per week), have moderately high selfesteem and physical self-efficacy and lower social physique anxiety. No gender differences were detected in self-esteem. In other variables, gender differences are significant and mostly in favour of males. The analyses showed that self-esteem correlated positively with physical self-efficacy and physical activity, and negatively with social physique anxiety. The regression analyses indicated that physical selfefficacy, social physique anxiety and female gender were significant predictors of self-esteem. Physical activity was not a significant predictor of self-esteem. Future studies should investigate the relations of body self-perceptions, physical exercise, and domain-specific self-esteem.

An Investigation of the Relationship Between Body Composition, Social Physique Anxiety, and Exercise Motives

Health and fitness professionals widely promote physical activity recommendations as put forth by ACSM, however, according to recent data from the CDC, only 20.2% of U.S. adults currently meet the combined recommendation for aerobic exercise and strength training on a weekly basis. The possibilities of factors that may impact this lack of exercise compliance is infinite. Variations among individuals in terms of body composition and psychological variables may have synergistic functions and may differ by age. PURPOSE: Investigate the relationship between body composition, exercise motivations, social physique anxiety (SPA), exercise confidence, and exercise stage of change (SOC) among adults across the age span. METHODS: 192 participants (males = 89, females = 103) completed a demographic questionnaire, the Stages of Change for Exercise—Short Form, Social Physique Anxiety Scale, Exercise Confidence Survey, and Exercise Motivations Inventory-2, and body composition via DEXA. RESULTS: One-way ANOVA revealed that males were more motivated by social recognition (p = 0.003), affiliation (p = 0.029), and competition (p < 0.001); females were more motivated by weight management (p = 0.050) and appearance (p < 0.001). Males also had lower SPA (28.20 ± 9.71 vs. 35.25 ± 10.87) (p < 0.001), higher exercise confidence (24.91 ± 13.31 vs. 30.42 ± 17.32) (p = 0.016), and were more likely to be maintainers for SOC (p = 0.006). Age was correlated to weight management (r = 0.305, p < 0.001), ill-health avoidance (r = 0.271, p < 0.001), social recognition (r = -0.258, p < 0.001), health pressures (r = 0.219, p = 0.002), nimbleness (r = 0.204, p = 0.004), challenge (r = -0.232, p = 0.001), and appearance (r = 0.172, p = 0.017). %BF was correlated to weight management (r = 0.495, p < 0.001), enjoyment (r = -0.427, p < 0.001), competition (r = -0.374, p < 0.001), revitalization (r = -0.351, p < 0.001), social recognition (r = -0.303, p < 0.001), challenge (r = -0.280, p < 0.001), stress management (r = -0.274, p = 0.001), affiliation (r = -0.159, p = 0.027), and ill-health avoidance (r = 0.153, p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: While exercise motivations changed and %BF increased with age, overall males had different exercise motivations, lower SPA, lower %BF, higher exercise confidence, and were more likely to be maintainers than females, regardless of age.

Social physique anxiety in early adolescent Black females1

Abstract An adapted version of the 9-item Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS) was administered to Black females (N = 179) ages 11 to 14 years. Comparison between body composition (BMI) and social physique anxiety (SPA) indicated greatest SPA in overweight/obese participants. No change over age was observed. In comparison to previous data for a White sample, these Black early adolescent females evidenced somewhat lower social physique anxiety than the White females. The lower SPA supports the hypothesis that Black females are more accepting of a larger physique in early adolescence. Factor analysis supported a substantitive/non-substantitive two-factor model for the SPAS-C.

Gender Conceptualizations in Female High School Seniors: Relationships with Global Self-Worth and Multiple Measures of Body Image

This study was conducted to determine if gender-role conceptualizations in adolescent girls were related to their global self-worth and several dimensions of their body image. Self-report surveys were administered to 335 predominantly Caucasian Grade 12 girls from religiously-based high schools in the midwestern part of the United States. It was hypothesized that adolescent females’ gender-typing of themselves as well as their gender-related attitudes towards others would be significantly, and possibly divergently, related to their perceptions of themselves and their physical bodies. Obtained data were analyzed using multivariate canonical correlation procedures. The results of these analyses revealed support for the predicted overall relationship between gender conceptualizations and self-perceptions, but also indicated some differences in the way in which the two dimensions of gender-role conceptualizations (personal and attitudes towards others) were associated with adolescents’ perceptions of themselves. Specifically, girls exhibiting more egalitarian gender-related attitudes towards others scored higher on global self-worth and lower in body appearance orientation. In addition, higher self-endorsement on the masculine subscales was linked with higher global self-worth, lower social physique anxiety, and higher use of competence to evaluate the physical body. In contrast, high self-endorsement on the feminine subscales exhibited mixed links to the set of self-perceptual variables.

Puberty and Physical Self-Perceptions of Competitive Female Figure Skaters II

This study considered the interrelationships among biological maturation and its physical correlates, social physique anxiety, and appearance-related physical self-perceptions in 113 adolescent female figure skaters participating in solo (n = 73) or partner contexts (n = 40). Participants were interviewed about their menarcheal status, underwent a battery of anthropometric measurements, and completed the Physical Self Description Questionnaire and the Social Physique Anxiety Scale. Menarcheal status was a stronger correlate of physical self-perceptions than age. A combination of biological and psychological characteristics accounted for 25% of the variance in appearance-related physical self-perceptions. Younger, premenarcheal, ectomorphic skaters reporting lower social physique anxiety were more satisfied with their body fat and sport competence but reported lower self-esteem, global physical self-concept, and appearance scores. Skating context did not predict physical self-perceptions.

Older Women’s Reactions to Revealing and Nonrevealing Exercise Attire

This study used a between-subjects design to examine the effects of exercise attire on older women’s feelings toward exercise groups and their self-presentational efficacy (SPE). Eighty-one older women (mean age = 70.9 years) watched a 2-min videotape showing an exercise group of older adults who were dressed in either revealing exercise attire (sleeveless T-shirts and shorts) or nonrevealing attire (short-sleeved T-shirts and long trousers). Overall there was no difference in participants’ feelings toward the 2 exercise groups, but women who were more physically active had more positive feelings toward the revealingly attired group than did women who were less active (p &lt; .01). Similarly, there was no main effect for exercise attire on women’s SPE, but after watching the revealingly attired exercisers, women with higher social physique anxiety (SPA) reported lower SPE than did women with lower SPA (p &lt; .05). These results suggest that for some women, the attire worn by an exercise group can affect their feelings about the group, as well as about themselves.

Social physique anxiety in competitive women athletes

Social physique anxiety (SPA) is the anxiety that people feel when their physique or body is evaluated by others. This research explored the relationships among SPA, type of sport participation, and body size in female athletes. It was hypothesized that elite women athletes would have lower levels of SPA than nonelite athletes and that lightweight women athletes would have lower levels of SPA than heavyweight athletes. In Study 1, one hundred four women rowers participating in the World Indoor Rowing Championships completed the Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS; Hart et al., 1989) and a demographic questionnaire. With regard to SPA for female rowers, there were no significant differences involving elite status and weight class. In Study 2, one hundred thirteen women swimmers of various competitive levels (NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III, recreational) completed the SPAS and a demographic questionnaire. ANOVA indicated that NCAA Division I swimmers had lower SPA than recreational swimmers and that lightweight swimmers had lower SPA than heavyweight swimmers. The role of specific sport demands as they relate to SPA were discussed.