Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Social Physique Anxiety and Disturbed Eating Attitudes and Behaviors in Adolescents: Moderating Effects of Sport, Sport-Related Characteristics, and Gender

  • Published:
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

The involvement of adolescents presenting high levels of social physique anxiety (SPA) in sport practice has been hypothesized as potentially problematic in terms of being associated with disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors (DEAB). Indeed, sport practice itself has been reported to be associated with higher levels of SPA and DEAB, and sport settings may sometimes promote unhealthy life habits. Nevertheless, current studies are few and present several limitations.

Purpose

The objective of the present study was to examine these relationships among adolescents involved or not in various types (i.e., leanness and individual) and contexts (i.e., organized and competitive) of sport practice.

Method

The sample included 766 French adolescents (337 boys and 429 girls), aged between 11 and 18 years, involved (n = 335) or not (n = 431) in sport practice. SPA and DEAB were assessed using French adaptations of the SPA scale and the Eating Attitudes Test-26.

Results

The results reveal a significant and positive association between SPA and the DEAB scales. Furthermore, they show a positive relationship between SPA and (a) vomiting-purging behaviors in adolescents involved in individual sports and (b) generic DEAB (i.e., a subscale covering fear of getting fat, food preoccupation, and eating-related guilt), particularly in adolescents involved in individual sports.

Conclusion

The relationship between SPA and DEAB does not differ according to adolescents’ involvement in sport practice or according to their involvement in organized, competitive, or leanness sport practice more specifically. However, higher levels of SPA and DEAB were observed in adolescents involved in individual sports.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. For exploratory purposes, the effects of three-way interactions between SPA, gender, and involvement in sport practice (and its characteristics) were also tested. However, none of these effects were significant.

References

  1. Schlenker BR. Impression management: the self-concept, social identity, and interpersonal relations. Monterey: Brooks/Cole; 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Schlenker BR, Leary MR. Social anxiety and self-presentation: a conceptualization and model. Psychol Bull. 1982;92:641–69.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Hausenblas HA, Brewer BW, Van Raalte JL. Self-presentation and exercise. J Appl Sport Psychol. 2004;16:3–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Strong KA, Martin-Ginis KA, Mack DE, Wilson PM. Examining self-presentational exercise motives and social physique anxiety in men and women. J Appl Biobehav Res. 2006;11:209–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Leary MR, Kowalski RM. Impression management: a literature review and two-component model. Psychol Bull. 1990;107:34–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Leary MR. Self-presentational processes in exercise and sport. J Sport Exerc Psychol. 1992;14:339–51.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Martin Ginis KA, Lindwall M, Prapavessis H. Who cares what other people think? Self-presentation in exercise and sport. In: Tenebaum G, Eklund RD, editors. Handbook of sport psychology. Hoboken: Wiley; 2007. p. 136–57.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Thompson AM, Chad KE. The relationship of social physique anxiety to risk for developing an eating disorder in young females. J Adolesc Health. 2002;31:183–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Garner DM, Garfinkel PE, Schwartz D, Thompson M. Cultural expectations of thinness in women. Psychol Rep. 1980;47:483–91.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. McCreary DR, Sasse DK. An exploration of the drive for muscularity in adolescent boys and girls. J Am Coll Health. 2000;48:297–304.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Maïano C, Morin AJS, Eklund RC, Monthuy-Blanc J, Garbarino J-M, Stephan Y. Construct validity of the social physique anxiety scale in a French adolescent sample. J Pers Assess. 2010;92:53–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Hart EH, Leary MR, Rejeski WJ. The measurement of social physique anxiety. J Sport Exerc Psychol. 1989;11:94–104.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Leary MR. Self-presentation: impression management and interpersonal behavior. Westview: Boulder; 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Brunet J, Sabiston CM, Dorsch KD, McCreary DR. Exploring a model linking social physique anxiety, drive for muscularity, drive for thinness and self-esteem among adolescent boys and girls. Body Image. 2010;7:137–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Hagger MS, Asçi FH, Lindwall M, Hein V, Mülazimoglu-Balli Ö, Tarrant M, et al. Cross-cultural validity and measurement invariance of the social physique anxiety scale in five European nations. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2007;17:703–19.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Brunet J, Sabiston CM. Social physique anxiety and physical activity: a self-determination theory perspective. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2009;10:329–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Smith AL. Measurement of social physique anxiety in early adolescence. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004;36:475–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Hagger MS, Stevenson A. Social physique anxiety and physical self-esteem: gender and age effects. Psychol Health. 2010;25:89–110.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Hagger MS, Stevenson A, Chatzisarantis NLD, Gaspar PMP, Ferreira JPL, Ravé JMG. Physical self-concept and social physique anxiety: invariance across culture, gender and age. Stress Health. 2010;26:304–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Kowalski KC, Mack DE, Crocker PRE, Niefer CB, Fleming T. Coping with social physique anxiety in adolescence. J Adolesc Health. 2006;39:275.e9–275.e16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Sabiston CM, Sedgwick WA, Crocker PRE, Kowalski KC, Mack DE. Social physique anxiety. An exploration of influences, coping strategies, and health behaviors. J Adolesc Res. 2007;22:78–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Leary MR, Tchividjian LR, Kraxberger BE. Self-presentation can be hazardous to your health: impression management and health risk. Health Psychol. 1994;13:461–70.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Martin Ginis KA, Leary MR. Self-presentational processes in health damaging behavior. J Appl Sport Psychol. 2004;16:59–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Alvarenga MS, Pereira RF, Scagliusi FB, Philippi ST, Estima CC, Croll J. Psychometric evaluation of the Disordered Eating Attitude Scale (DEAS). English version. Appetite. 2010;55:374–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Nattiv A, Loucks AB, Manore MM, Sanborn CF, Sundgot-Borgen J, Warren MP. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. The female athlete triad. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39:1867–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Atalay AA, Gençöz T. Critical factors of social physique anxiety: exercising and body image satisfaction. Behav Chang. 2008;25:178–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Chamay-Weber C, Narring F, Michaud P-A. Partial eating disorders among adolescents: a review. J Adolesc Health. 2005;37:417–27.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Jacobi C, Hayward C, de Zwaan M, Kraemer HC, Agras WS. Coming to terms with risk factors for eating disorders: application of risk terminology and suggestions for a general taxonomy. Psychol Bull. 2004;130:19–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Stice E. Risk and maintenance factors for eating pathology. A meta-analytic review. Psychol Bull. 2002;128:825–48.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Caglar E, Bilgili N, Karaca A, Ayaz S, Aşçı FH. The psychological characteristics and health related behavior of adolescents: the possible roles of social physique anxiety and gender. Span J Psychol. 2010;2:741–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Haase AM, Prapavessis H. Social physique anxiety and eating attitudes: moderating effects of body mass and gender. Psychol Health Med. 1998;3:201–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Smolak L, Murnen SK. Drive for leanness: assessment and relationship to gender, gender role and objectification. Body Image. 2008;5:251–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Petrie TA, Greenleaf C. Eating disorders in sport. In: Murphy S, editor. The Oxford handbook of sport and performance psychology. New York: Oxford University Press; 2012. p. 635–59.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Prapavessis H, Grove RJ, Eklund RC. Self-presentational issues in competition and sport. J Appl Sport Psychol. 2004;16:19–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Baum A. Eating disorders in the male athlete. Sports Med. 2006;36:1–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Byrne S, McLean N. Eating disorders in athletes: a review of the literature. J Sci Med Sport. 2001;4:145–59.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Glazer JL. Eating disorders among male athletes. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2008;7:332–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Hausenblas HA, Carron A. Eating disorder indices and athletes: an integration. J Sport Exerc Psychol. 1999;21:230–58.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Smolak L, Murnen S, Ruble A. Female athletes and eating problems: a meta-analysis. Int J Eat Disord. 2000;27:371–80.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Thein-Nissenbaum JM, Carr KE. Female athlete triad syndrome in the high school athlete. Phys Ther Sport. 2011;12:108–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Mond JM, Hay PJ, Rodgers B, Owen C, Beumont PJV. Relationships between exercise behaviour, eating-disordered behaviour and quality of life in a community sample of women: when is exercise ‘excessive’? Eur Eat Disord Rev. 2004;12:265–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Mond JM, Hay PJ, Rodgers B, Owen C. An update on the definition of “excessive exercise” in eating disorders research. Int J Eat Disord. 2006;39:147–53.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Niefer CB, McDonough MH, Kowalski KC. Coping with social physique anxiety among adolescent female athletes. Int J Sport Psychol. 2010;41:369–86.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Reel JJ, Gill DL. Psychosocial factors related to eating disorders among high school and college female cheerleaders. Sport Psychol. 1996;10:195–206.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Hausenblas HA, Mack DE. Social physique anxiety and eating disorder correlates among female athletic and nonathletic populations. J Sport Behav. 1999;22:502–13.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Haase AM, Prapavessis H, Owens R. Perfectionism, social physique anxiety and disordered eating: a comparison of male and female elite athletes. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2002;3:209–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Haase AM. Physique anxiety and disordered eating correlates in female athletes: differences in team and individual sports. J Clin Sports Psychol. 2009;3:218–31.

    Google Scholar 

  48. Haase AM, Prapavessis H. Social physique anxiety and eating attitudes in female athletic and nonathletic groups. J Sci Med Sport. 2001;4:396–405.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Krane V, Waldron J, Stiles-Shipley JA, Michalenlok J. Relationships among body dissatisfaction, social physique anxiety, and eating behaviors in female athletes and exercisers. J Sport Behav. 2001;24:246–64.

    Google Scholar 

  50. Rosendahl J, Bormann B, Aschenbrenner K, Strauss B. Dieting and disordered eating in German high school athletes and non-athletes. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2009;19:731–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Torstveit MK, Rosenvinge JH, Sungot-Borden J. Prevalence of eating disorders and the predictive power of risk models in female elite athletes: a controlled study. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2008;18:108–18.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Mota J, Esculcas C. Leisure-time physical activity behavior: structured and unstructured choices according to sex, age, and level of physical activity. Int J Behav Med. 2002;9:111–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Santos MP, Gomes H, Mota J. Physical activity and sedentary behaviors in adolescents. Ann Behav Med. 2005;30:21–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Neumark-Sztainer D, Wall M, Story M, Standish AR. Dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors during adolescence. Associations with 10-year changes in body mass index. J Adolesc Health. 2012;50:80–6.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Snoek HM, van Strien T, Janssens JMAM, Engels RCME. Restrained eating and BMI. A longitudinal study among adolescents. Health Psychol. 2008;27:753–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Geidne S, Quennerstedt M, Eriksson C. The youth sports club as a health-promoting setting: an integrative review of research. Scand J Public Health. 2013;41:269–83.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Donaldson A, Finch CF. Sport as a setting for promoting health. Br J Sports Med. 2012;46:4–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Christiansen NW, Kahlmeier S, Racioppi F. Promoting sport and enhancing health in European Union countries: a policy analysis to support action. Copenhagen: World Health Organization; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  59. Kokko S, Green L, Kannas L. A review of settings-based health promotion with applications to sports clubs. Health Promot Int. 2013. doi:10.1093/heapro/dat046.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Martinsen M, Bratland-Sanda S, Eriksson AK, Sundgot-Borden J. Dieting to win or to be thin? A study of dieting and disordered eating among adolescent elite athletes and non-athlete controls. Br J Sports Med. 2010;44:70–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Ferrand C, Champely S, Filaire E. The role of body-esteem in predicting disordered eating symptoms: a comparison of French aesthetic athletes and non-athletic females. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2009;10:373–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Filaire E, Rouveix M, Bouget M, Pannafieux C. Prévalence des troubles du comportement alimentaire chez le sportif. Sci Sports. 2007;22:135–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Fortes LS, Kakeshita IS, Almeida SS, Gomes AR, Ferreira MEC. Eating behaviours in adolescents: a comparison between female and male athletes and non-athletes. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2013. doi:10.1007/s10802-013-9718-z.

    Google Scholar 

  64. Sungot-Borden J. Prevalence of eating disorders in elite female athletes. Int J Sport Nutr. 1993;3:29–40.

    Google Scholar 

  65. Torstveit MK, Sungot-Borden J. The female athlete triad: are elite athletes at increased risk? Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005;37:184–93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Maïano C, Morin AJS, Lanfranchi M-C, Therme P. The Eating Attitudes Test-26 revisited using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2013;41:775–88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Neumark-Sztainer D, Hannan PJ. Weight-related behaviors among adolescent girls and boys: results from a national survey. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000;154:569–77.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M, Hannan PJ, Perry CL, Irving LM. Weight-related concerns and behaviors among overweight and nonoverweight adolescents: implications for preventing weight-related disorders. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2002;156:171–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Steinfeldt JA, Gilchrist GA, Halterman AW, Gomory A, Steinfeldt MC. Drive for muscularity and conformity to masculine norms among college football players. Psychol Men Masc. 2011;12:324–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  70. Hale BD, Roth AD, DeLong RE, Briggs MS. Exercise dependence and the drive for muscularity in male bodybuilders, power lifters, and fitness lifters. Body Image. 2010;7:234–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Gordon KH, Castro Y, Sitnikov L, Holm-Denoma JM. Cultural body shape ideals and eating disorder symptoms among White, Latina, and Black college women. Cult Divers Ethn Minor Psychol. 2010;16:135–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  72. Morin AJS, Maïano C, Marsh HW, Janosz M, Nagengast B. The longitudinal interplay of adolescents’ self-esteem and body image: a conditional autoregressive latent trajectory analysis. Multivar Behav Res. 2011;46:157–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of Interest

Marie-Christine Lanfranchi, Christophe Maïano, Alexandre J. S. Morin, and Pierre Therme declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Standards

The procedures followed were in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000 and with treatment of humans and animals in research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR 7287 “Institut des Sciences du Mouvement, Etienne-Jules Marey”, Aix-Marseille Université & CNRS, Marseille, France

    Marie-Christine Lanfranchi & Pierre Therme

  2. Direction Régionale de la Jeunesse, des Sports et de la Cohésion Sociale - Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur, Marseille, France

    Marie-Christine Lanfranchi

  3. Cyberpsychology Laboratory, Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO), Gatineau, Canada

    Christophe Maïano

  4. Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield, Australia

    Alexandre J. S. Morin

  5. Département de Psychoéducation et de Psychologie, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Campus de Saint-Jérôme, 5 rue St-Joseph, Saint-Jérôme (Québec), J7Z 0B7, Canada

    Christophe Maïano

Authors
  1. Marie-Christine Lanfranchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christophe Maïano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alexandre J. S. Morin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Pierre Therme
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christophe Maïano.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOC 82 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lanfranchi, MC., Maïano, C., Morin, A.J.S. et al. Social Physique Anxiety and Disturbed Eating Attitudes and Behaviors in Adolescents: Moderating Effects of Sport, Sport-Related Characteristics, and Gender. Int.J. Behav. Med. 22, 149–160 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-014-9406-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-014-9406-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation