Attitudes et comportements face à l’image corporelle et l’alimentation chez un groupe d’adolescentes athlètes exerçant un sport de type esthétique à un haut niveau : l’influence des pressions de l’environnement sportif et de l’identité athlétique

Objectives

The first objective of this study was to describe and compare the intensity of inappropriate behaviors and attitudes toward food and body image (BAFBI) and the degree of internalization of athletic identity in a group of adolescent female athletes to those assessed in a control group. The second objective was to examine the contribution of sport-specific pressures on the variability in the intensity of BAFBI among the group of athletes. The third objective was to test whether the internalization of athletic identity acts as a moderating variable in the relationship between sport environment pressures and BAFBI.

Method

The sample consisted of 197 adolescent girls , 122 non-athletes and 75 athletes participating in high performance aesthetic sports. The Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3) and the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) were used to assess the intensity of BAFBI. Pressures from the sport environment were measured by the Weight Pressures in Sport for Female questionnaire (WPS-F) and the degree of internalization to athletic identity was assessed using the Athletic Identity Questionnaire (AIQ).

Results

The results indicated that there is no significant difference between the two groups in the intensity of the BAFBI. The athlete group differed in their perception of the degree of internalization to athletic appearance. The results revealed that certain pressures in the sport environment contribute to the explanation of the variability of BAFBI among the group of athletes. Internalization of athletic identity was not a moderating variable between sport environment pressures and BAFBI among the participating athletes.

Conclusions

The results of this study highlight the influence of certain pressures in the sport environment on the adoption of various BAFBI in adolescent athletes.