How Sports Affect Female Athletes’ Self-esteem and Body Image

Held, Mae Lee

How Sports Affect Female Athletes’ Self-esteem and Body Image

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10456/57556

Author(s)

Held, Mae Lee

Date Issued

April 3, 2024

Abstract

This study’s aim was to identify if there was a correlation between self-esteem and body image among female athletes surveyed at Allegheny College. The original hypothesis sought after by the researcher was to see if there was a relationship between self-esteem and body image compared between female athletes and non-athletes on campus. The study switched to a correlation focus after insufficient participation numbers were collected from the non-athlete category. The sample size consisted of 17 female student-athletes at Allegheny College. Descriptive statistics compared the means to the national and global averages of the questionnaire broken down and separated into the original three surveys used. The surveys consisted of the Rosenberg Self-esteem Questionnaire, the Body Image-Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, and the Appearance Anxiety Inventory. A Pearson’s correlation test was run to test for any significance between the variables. A strong correlation was found between all three variables and found that self-esteem is strongly tied to body image. The current findings are important to help understand the relationship between self-esteem and body image and how it affects athletes' overall well-being on Allegheny College campus. Limitations of the current study include a small sample size and the misleading title to possible non-athlete participants.

Major

Psychology

First Reader(s)

Pickering, Ryan