The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2021 May 24

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.21.12337-0

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

The study of athlete’s physical self-image

Zabira B. MADALIYEVA ✉, Laura O. BAIMOLDINA, Nazira M. SADYKOVA, Zukhra M. SADVAKASSOVA, Nurzhamal S. TLENCHIYEVA

Department of General and Applied Psychology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this work is to investigate differences in body image between student-athletes and student-non-athletes of both genders.
METHODS: The study on 101 students from the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and the Ural Federal University was conducted in 2019. All participants were subdivided in two groups: an athletic group with 25 male and 26 female students and a non-athletic group with 25 male and 25 female students. Mean age of the participants was 18.0±1.1 years.
RESULTS: The results of the study show statistically significant differences between athletes and non-athletes on the following subscales: fitness evaluation (p≤.004, Mann-Whitney U test), fitness orientation (p≤.0001), and illness orientation (p≤.004). The results of the study suggest participation in sports positively affect the body image of both male and female student-athletes.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study may be relevant to sport psychologists, physical education teachers, trainers, and athletes who seek to optimize physical training programs.

KEY WORDS: Athletes; Body image; Gender differences; Physical self-image