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Weight Pressures in Sport—Females (WPS-F) questionnaire measures sport-related pressures that female athletes experience regarding body weight, shape, size, and appearance. In order to examine the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the inventory, two different studies were conducted. In the first study, using a sample (n = 225) of female Greek athletes aged 12–20 years, exploratory factor analysis produced two factors (Factor 1: Pressures From Coaches and Sports About Weight and Factor 2: Pressures Regarding Appearance and Performance) and supported the original factor structure. In the second study, using a different sample (n = 318) of female Greek athletes aged 11–18 years, confirmatory factor analysis provided support for the two-factor structure. Weight Pressures in Sport—Females questionnaire was demonstrated to be a valid and reliable instrument for Greek female athletic populations. Future studies should further test the factorial structure in younger and older athletes and in larger samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a weight-related teasing prevention program implemented for both female and male students in a school setting. Methods: Junior High School students (N = 143) in seventh grade were invited to participate in the program. One hundred eighteen participants completed pre- and posttest surveys to assess bullying frequency and to evaluate an efficacy of the 8-week prevention program. Results: Data at posttest revealed the number of students who reported being bullied decreased by 7% (n = 8). The incidence rate of self-reported bullies was reduced from 18% to 14%. The levels of body esteem and self-esteem were statistically higher among the participants at posttest. Male participants showed a significant improvement on the Ideal-Body Stereotype Scale-Revised compared to female participants. On the other hand, the difference in mean scores on victimization of weight-related and competency teasing between pretest and posttest was statistically higher among female participants. Conclusion: The intervention program helped the participants increase body esteem and self-esteem levels. Although female participants tended to report more victimizations from previous teasing (weight and competency) incidents at posttest period, levels of stereotyped images towards women among male participants were statistically reduced after the intervention program. Recommendations: Body image or weight-related issues are rarely discussed enough for male students in a school setting. One reason is lack of resources for health teachers to address the particular issues for both female and male students. Simply, many teachers may feel uncomfortable or less confident to discuss the particular issues. Therefore, more research and resources for teachers are necessary to reduce weight-related teasing and other issues in a school setting.

Background and Aims: The purpose of this project was to examine body dissatisfaction and the degree of acculturation to Western media body ideals among Japanese adolescents. Furthermore, sex differences in body esteem were examined between male and female participants. Methods: Male and female participants (N=158) aged 15 to 18 years in Okinawa, Japan were surveyed about body image concerns and their degree of acculturation. Participants were recruited from churches and community sites in Okinawa. Results: An independent t-test revealed that girls internalized the thin ideal to a greater degree than boys. Pearson product-moment correlations showed significant positive correlation between acculturation and body esteem, and significant negative correlations between media influences (i.e., information and pressures subscales of the SATAQ-3) and body esteem. Conclusions: Overall, both male and female participants reported body image concerns. Japanese adolescents could benefit from an educational body image intervention that uses a cognitive dissonance approach. (Contains 2 tables.)

Unhealthy cognitive–emotional relationships with exercise can hinder positive treatment outcomes when left unaddressed. However, clinicians lack validated tools to monitor this aspect of treatment. This study examined the 14-item Intuitive Exercise Scale with 165 patients in the United States (Mage = 26.48 years) who were receiving treatment for an eating disorder. The original factor structure was inadequate for the current sample, and exploratory factor analysis generated three factors—emotional exercise, body intuition, and exercise variety. The three-factor solution yielded strong internal consistency and partial support for the scale's validity. Furthermore, patients scored lowest in body intuition, confirming low awareness of bodily cues common in patients with eating disorders. This study informs how clinicians may integrate and monitor patients' cognitive–emotional relationship with exercise as part of holistic and intuitive eating disorder treatment approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Body image disturbances and disordered eating behaviors are prevalent across college campuses and can lead to psychological and physical health consequences. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gain formative research on the promotion of positive body image on a university campus with the goal of developing educational programs. Method: From an initial recruitment survey (n = 235), 30 female university freshmen participants were selected for semistructured interviews to discuss the influence of body image on the freshman college experience. Results: Participants recommended continuing typical campus positive body image promotion activities, such as counseling services, support groups, exercise facilities, healthy eating options, and knowledge-based programs, as well as introducing more innovative approaches (e.g., building friendships, displaying more diverse bodies on campus posters). The most pervasive themes included self-acceptance ideas and a feeling of learned helplessness about finding preventive solutions for body image problems. Discussion: Addressing the idea of learned helplessness among college students is vital for eliminating barriers for prevention work. It is important to integrate the Health at Every Size approach into positive body image promotion programs in order to encourage self-acceptance and promote health over thinness.

The study purpose was to validate the psychometric properties of a Spanish-language version of the weight pressures in sport scale for male athletes. The weight pressures in sport scale for male athletes assesses risk factors associated with sport-specific weight pressures from coaches, peers, and team uniform. The scale was back translated and administered to 407 Spanish male college athletes. The sample was randomly split to perform the exploratory and confirmatory analysis. After item analysis, three items were removed. The exploratory analysis identified two latent constructs (referring to coaches and teammates pressures, and pressures due to uniform), and the confirmatory analysis produced a two-factor model (comparative fit indexSB =.946, Tucker–Lewis indexSB =.925, root mean square of approximationSB =.071, standardized root mean square residualSB =.068). The overall scale showed adequate internal consistency (α =.82) and demonstrated adequate convergent validity with the other questionnaires. The Spanish-language version of the weight pressures in sport scale for male athletes can be used to measure weight-related pressures among male athletes in sport psychology and clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A paucity of research persists surrounding disordered eating among sub-populations of athletes with diverse identities. In this commentary, we argue that in the absence of extensive research to understand the nuances embedded in sub-populations of athletes, using a culturally humble approach is preferable and recommended in identifying and preventing disordered eating in athletes. Cultural humility is a powerful guiding framework for sport psychology professionals to navigate the underrepresented, "unheard voices" of disordered eating in sport. Specifically, engaging in the 5 Rs of cultural humility (Reflection, Respect, Regard, Relevance, and Resiliency) may help sport psychology professionals: a) become aware of and help reduce stereotypes that label certain athletes as disordered, and b) listen deeply to the individual experiences of the athlete while remaining aware of the inherent sport professional-athlete power imbalance. We offer recommendations based on current eating disorder research, gaps in this body of literature, and highlight recent publications on cultural humility for professionals to consider when addressing and preventing disordered eating concerns. Lay summary: Sport psychology professionals may benefit from a culturally humble approach to disordered eating in athletes. We acknowledge that more research needs to be conducted on disordered eating in athletes with intersecting identities. We propose that a cultural humility framework can inform a richer understanding of diverse presentations of disordered eating. Enhance early identification of disordered eating and reduce instances of missed identification by engaging in a culturally humble approach to working with athletes Promote a sport culture that listens to the needs of individual athletes rather than focusing on body, weight, or appearance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Freshman weight gain has been assessed using quantitative inquiry, but this qualitative study allowed for an in-depth exploration of freshmen women's experiences surrounding body image, nutrition, and exercise. The purpose of this study was to better understand the impact and explanations for the "Freshman 15." Participants: Freshmen college women, aged 18 to 19 years. Methods: Participants (N = 235) were initially surveyed about body dissatisfaction. Thirty participants were selected for semistructured interviews (conducted in March 2008) using a criterion-based, multilevel stratified random sampling. Results: Freshmen women reported intense fears about gaining weight. Women most commonly attributed freshman weight gain to newly found food independence, social comparison with peers, and the influence of friends and family. Women frequently cited eating habit changes to explain college weight gain. Conclusions: Comparison among females was framed using Festinger's social comparison theory. Despite being cautious about food, females described freshman weight gain as inevitable. (Contains 2 tables.)

Weightism involves stigmatization of individuals based on size, shape, or weight. Weight bias represents a form of bullying and is psychologically damaging to children and adolescents. Although weightism is reinforced by the media, family, and in schools, educators can play an important role in changing their class climate. This article described how teachers can address individual biases related to weight and size, create school policies against weight bias, and implement anti-weightism programs in order to effectively combat weight bias.

One of the most dreaded insults in sports is, "You throw like a girl," because it epitomizes society's gender logic about physiological differences between men and women. Although physiological differences between the sexes exist, people label these abilities and behaviors as masculine or feminine as a result of social and cultural expectations. Thus, gender equates to the socially learned expectations and behaviors associated with being male or female. The sports environment provides a unique microcosm for the examination of both gender and race socialization. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine both the influence of gender and race among high school youth in classifying sport activities as masculine, feminine, or gender neutral. The authors examined the social meaning of gender and race among high school students who were exposed to and restricted from participating in sports activities. Data were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Significant differences were found between White boys and girls regarding the sports of aerobics, gymnastics, hockey, and wrestling. More White boys than girls believed that aerobics and gymnastics are appropriate for girls, and wrestling and hockey are appropriate for boys, supporting previous research and the contention that boys categorize certain sports as masculine or feminine based on gender appropriateness. Male Blacks significantly perceived boxing and football as more appropriate sports for boys and gymnastics as more appropriate for girls, Black girls perceived football, boxing, and gymnastics as sports for both boys and girls; however, their counterparts supported traditional gender stereotyping. The findings from this study have implications for the development of intervention programs targeted toward adolescent girls. (Contains 4 tables.)

With female collegiate athletes, we examined the relationship of eating pathology to body image concerns, weight pressures, sociocultural internalization, and mood state. Multivariate analyses revealed that the symptomatic and eating disorder groups were similar on seven of eight weight pressures, three of four mood states, on internalization, and on five of six body image measures; in all instances, these two groups reported more pathological scores than the asymptomatic athletes. Except for pressures from coaches, the psychosocial variables differentiated the groups, correctly classifying 79% of the cases. These findings suggest that athletes symptomatic of eating disorders report similarly high levels of disturbance across a wide range of psychosocial risk factors, and both groups warrant prevention and treatment efforts. (Contains 5 tables.)

The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to examine male competitive figure skaters' experiences of weight pressure in sport. Specifically, male skaters' perceptions of the ideal skating body, sources of weight pressure in elite figure skating, and the perceived role of their sport in shaping body image, athletic performance, eating, and exercise behaviors were explored. Through a social constructivist lens, an inductive thematic analysis was used to examine the contextual influences of the skating environment. Thirteen male figure skaters ages 16–24 (M = 18.53, SD = 3.33) with an average 10.38 years of skating experience (SD = 4.05) were interviewed. Skaters identified the parameters for the ideal body in skating along with specific weight pressures, body image concerns, and weight management strategies. Similar to female skaters, male skaters perceived that body image affected psychological factors that influence sport performance. Sport psychologists and consultants should be attentive to the skating environment and how specific performance and appearance demands may influence an athlete's mindset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of studies examining eating disorders and body image in sport has increased, although several major challenges associated with conducting this research must be addressed to continue growth. In this paper, we describe these challenges based on our professional experiences and the academic literature. Mistrust of researchers and the area of study, communication gaps, and factors that affect data quality are among the strong barriers discussed. However, we suggest that these challenges may be addressed by building stronger partnerships between researchers and practitioners and offer critical steps for developing meaningful professional relationships that will help move the field forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this commentary, we try to present a balanced look at the issues surrounding the implementation of the certification exam for recertification purposes. We recognize that the changes to certification are complex and varied, as were reactions by the membership of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). As long-standing AASP members who are also certified consultants, we look at the costs, benefits, and ultimately the reality of the CMPC exam for recertification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dancers, like athletes, frequently endure injuries and disordered eating as a result of performance-specific demands. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between severe injuries and disordered eating from the perspectives of female professional dancers. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 female professional dancers ages 18–38 (M = 23; SD = 6.2) whose dance participation was suspended for 4–36 weeks (M = 12.69; SD = 10.09) due to a dance-related injury. We adopted a social constructivist stance to view the experiences of dancers through the lens of a phenomenon highly influenced by environmental and cultural factors. A thematic analysis yielded five themes including negative emotions associated with injury, anxiety and uncertainty around future involvement, modifications in nutritional intake (e.g., reduction of calories), coping with injury, and the need for an effective and holistic injury rehabilitation program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has demonstrated that male athletes are facing increased pressure to meet a body ideal for their sport (Galli & Reel, 2009). In this exploratory study the authors developed a preliminary measure designed to examine weight pressures that are specific to male athletes. Using 203 Division I male athletes from three large U.S. universities, two factors were identified (coach/teammate pressures, and appearance pressures) from the 14-item weight pressures in sport scale for males (WPS-M). The athletes reported significantly more coach/teammate pressures than appearance pressures, and the results of multiple regression analyses indicated that both types of weight pressures contributed to the prediction of disordered eating and body change strategies. The findings are connected with research on body image and eating disorders among males and among athletes. Specifically, the pattern of relationships suggests that weight pressures operate independently of body image and affect in predicting unhealthy body change strategies in male athletes. Future research with diverse samples of male athletes is needed to further assess the validity and reliability of the WPS-M. Finally, suggestions for how sport psychologypractitioners may use the WPS-M to promote the health and well-being of male athletes are provided, Although at lower rates than women, men do suffer from eating disorders. Lifetime prevalence rates for anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge eating disorder (BED), are 0.9%, 1.5%, [...]

Numerous studies have examined the relations between body concerns and exercise. This meta-analysis is based on 35 studies with exercise programs influencing body concerns. There was an overall effect of .45, suggesting that exercise positively affects body concerns. Moderator variables, such as sex, type of exercise, and length of intervention were examined and discussed. Generally, there were no sex differences in effects of exercise on body concerns, but anaerobic exercise such as weight training generated a stronger effect (d = .64) than aerobic-type exercises such as jogging (d = .40).

The primary purpose of this study was to compare two mother-daughter interventions designed to increase fitness and activity and improve physical self-perception (PSP). A secondary purpose was to test two of the proposed mechanisms for using physical activity to enhance PSP. Twenty mother-daughter pairs (n = 40) were randomly assigned to a university-based (UB) or home-based (HB) group. Initially, both groups received classroom training designed to improve PSP. Then, the UB group met three times per week, whereas the HB group received information concerning home-based activities. The Fitnessgram[R] activity questionnaire and fitness test battery were used to measure physical activity and fitness level. The Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP) was used to detect changes in PSP. Separate 2 (group) x 2 (age) x 2 (time) ANOVAs with repeated measures on the last factor were conducted to examine changes in PSP, physical activity, and fitness. Correlations between physical activity, fitness, and PSP were examined to test the two mechanisms. Perceived sports competence and body attractiveness improved in UB and HB mothers and daughters (p = .002 and .005, respectively). UB and HB mothers and daughters increased their participation in aerobic (p = .000 and .015), muscular strength (p = .001 and .001), and flexibility (p = .000 and .000) activities. Support was not provided for the proposed mechanisms for the relationship between physical activity and PSP. These interventions demonstrate the potential to foster positive short-term changes in PSP and physical activity in mothers and daughters. More research is needed to test mechanisms explaining the relationship between activity and PSP. KEYWORDS. Psychological health, family health, exercise, self-esteem