The purpose of this study was to assess body-image attitudes and the extent of obligatory exercise among physically active women, and to examine interrelationships among these variables, and age differences. The sample included one hundred and eighty-three female exercise participants, aged 18 to 71 years. The Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire was used to assess subjective body-image attitudes. The Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire was used to assess extent of obligatory exercise behavior. It was found that the majority of physically active women are generally satisfied with most aspects of their body images. However, 82% were concerned with their appearance, 30.6% were preoccupied with their weight, and 41% perceived themselves as being overweight. Appearance evaluation was positively related to satisfaction with weight, which was the strongest predictor of global appearance evaluation. Older women (56 to 71 years) were significantly more concerned with their health than were younger women (18 to 25 years). The extent of obligatory exercise behavior among physically active women was very small, and was not related to age. Obligatory exercise scores were predicted by fitness and health orientation, and overweight preoccupation, and inversely predicted by age and health evaluation.

Coming to terms with breast loss and its effect on body image, femininity and self-esteem are major issues confronting women who have lost a breast to cancer. Furthermore, messages from the media, cosmetic industry and health care profession perpetuate the 'beauty myth' affecting the self-esteem of breast cancer patients. This emphasis on the aesthetic often takes precedence the grief associated with losing a body part that for many women is strongly linked to their self-concept. Based on interviews with nine breast cancer survivors in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Montreal, Quebec, three issues will be addressed: first how the cultural influences that support and perpetuate the 'beauty myth' affect breast cancer survivors; how, as a result of this issue, the grieving process is hindered and third, the experiences of women treated for breast cancer within the medical system. Implications for social work will also be discussed.

Eating disorders and disturbed body image perceptions are becoming a growing problem in athletes. Similar to non-athletes, both female and male athletes have shown an upward trend in the development of eating disorders. The purpose of this research paper is to compile previous research on possible reasons why athletes develop eating disorders. Gender differences, outside influence, specific sports and certain personality characteristics are investigated more in depth to see the affects they have on athletes’ tendencies in developing eating disorders and negative body image.

Despite the many benefits associated with women’s participation in sport, women athletes are often exposed to potential challenges that can negatively affect their athletic experience. The root of many challenges in sport comes from the level of performance expectations and the frequency of evaluations that women face. Self-compassion is a construct informed by positive psychology that can help people manage self-judgment, rumination, and feelings of isolation while promoting a kind and understanding perspective of the self. Further, self-compassion promotes positive self-attitude without the drawbacks associated with self-esteem; however, past research on the role of self-compassion in women athletes’ well-being is limited. This research applies a mixed methods approach to address the role of self-compassion in women athletes’ body appreciation and intuitive eating. The first phase was quantitative and expands on past research by examining how self-compassion relates to, and explains unique variance beyond self-esteem, in women athletes’ body appreciation, intuitive eating, disordered eating, compulsive exercise, and state self-criticism. Participants were 90 women athletes aged between 18 and 27 years, who participated in a variety of sports and competitive levels and completed an online survey. Self-compassion was positively related to women athletes’ body appreciation (r=.68, p< .01) and intuitive eating (r=.53, p< .01), while being negatively related to disordered eating (r=-.59, p< .01), compulsive exercise (r=-.37, p< .01), and state self-criticism (r=-.45, p< .01). Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that self-compassion contributed significant unique variance beyond self-esteem, after controlling for age and BMI (calculated from self-reported weight and height), in women athletes’ body appreciation (4.1%, p<.01), intuitive eating (8.7%, p<.01), disordered eating (9.4%, p<.001), compulsive exercise (8.3%, p<.01), and state self-criticism (7.5%, p<.01). This study supports past research suggesting that self-compassion may be a useful tool for women athletes to manage challenging or difficult experiences in sport, while adding to the literature by highlighting that self-compassion might also play a role in positive sport experiences related to body appreciation and intuitive eating. Six women athletes completed the qualitative phase. Interviews were conducted to explore how self-compassion contributes to women athletes’ experiences of body appreciation and intuitive eating. Three main themes arose from the collective case study. Self-compassion plays a role in body appreciation and intuitive eating by helping women athletes to recognize the uniqueness of sport contexts, through the promotion of awareness, and by helping them to set personalized expectations and standards. Together the quantitative and qualitative phases forward the study of women athletes’ self-compassion, body image, and eating behaviour with a particular focus on positive constructs. As such, the current study provides a foundation to explore other positive psychological constructs and constructs informed by positive psychology and to examine the impact of a self-compassion intervention on women athletes’ body appreciation and intuitive eating.

A multi-method qualitative study of a child care facility was conducted to examine (1) body image, (2) eating attitudes and behaviours, and (3) physical activity among Canadian school age children. The purpose was to recognize and understand the behaviours and social interactions of children related to these concepts at a before- and after-school child care program for children in Grades K-6. How these behaviours and interactions influenced and could be influenced by child care practice was also studied. Observations of six- to 12-year-old children were made over a four-month period to examine interrelationships among the three concepts. These observations were in conjunction with selected interviews with children, informal conversations with child care staff, and with child learning activities conducted by the researcher. Guided by ecological systems theory, the data were examined using content analysis and general inductive analysis. Four main themes emerged from the data: (1) “How to be a better, healthier person,” (2) “Out of their hands,” (3) “Puppets cutting their strings,” and (4) “Reaching out.” Findings showed that children were knowledgeable about ideas and behaviours that influenced health, which was due in part to formal and informal teaching about health at the Centre. The children also exhibited, or were learning to exhibit, healthy behaviours, which were congruent with the child care program’s philosophy, goals, and children’s rights and responsibilities. These healthy behaviours included a positive sense of self, healthy eating habits and food choices, and regular physical activity. Some children’s behaviours also reflected the influences of sociocultural forces, specifically related to physical appearance and activity. This research showed that early learning and child care practice can shape children’s ideas and behaviour about body image, eating and activity. Implications for the establishment and delivery of child care programs, as well as the training and regulation of professional child care staff, are discussed.

The body cathexis and "ideal" female figure for Black college females and White college females were investigated. The Body Cathexis Scale was administered to determine students' level of satisfaction with their bodies. Self reports of each student's ideal female measurements were also examined. It was hypothesized that Black college females tend to possess greater satisfaction with their body image than White college females. Black college females were hypothesized to report less restrictive measurements for what they believe would make up the ideal female figure than White college females. Results showed that some significant differences were found between Black and White college females. Of the 46 items on the Body Cathexis Scale, significant differences between Black and White college females were found on seven items with five indicating higher satisfaction of Black college females and two indicating that White college females had higher satisfaction. Of the five measurements of ideal female figure, only one differed significantly with the Black college females possessing a less restrictive measurement. Thirty-nine items on the Body Cathexis Scale and four on the ideal female figure measurements showed no significant difference. Therefore, the hypothesis of Black college females being more satisfied with their bodies and reporting less restrictive ideal female figure measurements than White college females was not supported. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between sex-role ideology and body image among women of various ages. Theorists have suggested that poor body image may be related to the experience of being female in contemporary society. This study attempted to objectively test this theory by determining whether or not feminist women, due to less restrictive notions of their rights and roles in contemporary society, might demonstratemore positive relationships with their bodies than women with more traditional attitudes.such a relationship (between feminist sex-role ideology and body esteem) would apply across age categories.Five hundred seventy-five female faculty, staff, retirees, and students completed a demographic profile, the Body Esteem Scale, and the Simplified Attitudes Toward Women Scale. Correlational analysis of data provided no support for the proposed hypotheses. Further study is recommended. / Institute for Wellness

Themes emerging from women who scored high on the Body Esteem Scale will be different from the women who scored low on the Body Esteem Scale. One hundred and nine faculty and staff women of Ball State University completed the Eating Attitudes Test and the Body Esteem Scale to answer the first hypothesis and established a low, medium and high body esteem groups, (BES) in order to answer the second hypothesis. Twenty-eight volunteers, (of the 109) were individually interviewed.A significant difference was found at the .05 level in the subject's present weight, between groups one and two and between groups one and three thus supporting the first hypothesis. Interviews revealed a greater number of negative responses were recorded in the lower BES group and a greater number of positive responses were recorded in the higher BES group thus supporting the second hypothesis. Further study is recommended. / Fisher Institute for Wellness

Previous research has shown that many women feel self-conscious of their bodies during physical intimacy with their partners, and this body image self-consciousness was related to sexual esteem, sexual assertiveness, sexual experience, and avoidance of sexual behavior. The purpose of the present study was to further explore body image selfconsciousness and examine its relationship with sexual functioning, risky sexual behavior, and sexual victimization. Participants were 171 heterosexual, sexually active, female undergraduate college students and completed the Body Image Self-Consciousness Scale (BISCS), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES), and a questionnaire assessing sexual experience and risky sexual behavior. Results found that body image self-consciousness was associated with use of protection against sexually transmitted infection during vaginal sex, overall sexual functioning, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and sexual satisfaction, and the frequency of some sexual behavior, but not sexual victimization. / Department of Psychological Science

Weight and body image are issues many females face that can lead to unhealthy exercising and extreme dieting. This paper examines the relationship between perceptions of mothers’ attitudes and behaviors regarding weight and body image and their 18-25 year old daughters’ attitudes and behaviors. This research utilizes a survey of 876 females at a Midwestern university. Respondents report being at least somewhat uncomfortable with their weight and report a lack of confidence with their weight. Regression results indicate that females’ attitudes and behaviors are somewhat explained by perceptions of their mothers’ attitudes and behaviors. Mothers making negative comments about their own weight, mothers telling their daughters to lose weight and mothers’ weight loss behaviors significantly influence respondents’ weight satisfaction, self-esteem, weight loss and weight control behaviors. This research identifies factors contributing to unhealthy eating behaviors and poor body image, and suggests how mothers can help improve their daughters’ body image. / Department of Sociology