Eating attitudes and body image concerns among female athletes from aesthetic sports

Purpose: Research has suggested that in female athletes from aesthetic sports the prevalence of disordered eating attitudes is higher than in female athletes from other sports, mainly due to sport related factors like extreme training and practicing sports associated with high pressure and the idea that “being thin leads to success”. The study was conducted to examine the prevalence of disturbed eating attitudes and their relationship with body image concerns in aesthetic and non-aesthetic female athletes. Methods: 54 female athletes from aesthetic sports (synchronized swimming, artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, and dance), as well as 66 female athletes from non-aesthetic sports (volleyball, track and field, and soccer), completed the Eating Attitudes Test, the Body Shape Questionnaire, and the Figure Rating Scale (a visual scale used to assess body image dissatisfaction and body image dissatisfaction in relation to sport). Results: The results indicated that aesthetic athletes scored significantly higher than those involved in non-aesthetic sports in Dieting, and in Body Image Dissatisfaction. Moreover, aesthetic athletes demonstrated significantly lower BMI mean scores. Significant correlations were found between Body Mass Index and Oral Control, Body Image Dissatisfaction and Body Image Dissatisfaction in relation to Sport, and between Eating Attitudes Test and the Body Shape Questionnaire results in aesthetic athletes. Furthermore, significant associations were found between Body Mass Index and Body Shape Questionnaire, Body Image Dissatisfaction and Body Image Dissatisfaction in relation to Sport, and Eating Attitudes Test and Body Shape Questionnaire in non-aesthetic athletes. Conclusion: The study confirmed the relationship between body image concerns and pathological eating attitudes among female aesthetic sport athletes.

Gender-Typed Sport Practice, Physical Self-Perceptions, and Performance-Related Emotions in Adolescent Girls

Youth sport experience provides opportunities for physical, personal, and social development in youngsters. Sport is a social system in which socially constructed gender differences and stereotypes are incorporated, and specific sport activities are often perceived as gender characterized. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between some salient physical and emotional self-perceptions and the type of sport practiced. A sample of 261 female athletes, aged 14–21 years (Mage = 15.59, SD = 2.00), practicing different sports, categorized as feminine (e.g., artistic and rhythmic gymnastics), masculine (e.g., soccer and rugby), or neutral (e.g., track and field and tennis), took part in a cross-sectional study. Significant differences were observed between aesthetic sports and other types of sports. Athletes involved in aesthetic sports reported the lowest values in their feelings of confidence and the highest values in feelings of worry related to competition. This may be attributed to the evaluation system of aesthetic sports, in which the athlete’s performance is evaluated by a jury. At the same time, they reported low values of dysfunctional psychobiosocial states associated with their general sport experience, likely because of their physical appearance close to the current body social standards for girls. Notwithstanding the differences by type of sport, athletes of all disciplines reported high mean values of functional psychobiosocial states, suggesting that their overall sporting experience was good.

FEATURES OF THE INDIVIDUAL STYLE OF COACH AND TEACHER WORK OF THE CHOREOGRAPHIC TEAM

The paper presents the results of studying the peculiarities of work styles (authoritarian, democratic, liberal) and the behavior of coaches in technical and aesthetic sports and choreographers. The purpose of the work was to analyze and compare the individual styles of coaches’ work in technical and aesthetic sports and teachers of dance groups and choreographic schools. A group of theoretical and empirical methods were used in the study. The survey involved: 14 choreographers from eight dance groups, 9 teachers from public and three private choreographic schools and 18 coaches working with representatives of artistic, sports and aesthetic gymnastics, sports acrobatics and aerobics as well as 118 students engaged in choreography and sports. The results of the survey were supported by pedagogical observation data. The study made it possible to identify priority work styles of coaches in technical and aesthetic sports and teachers-choreographers which depend on many factors, including the type of activity, age characteristics of students, training and training stage, etc. It was found that the authority of the coach and teacher is a determining condition for his/her success, the effectiveness of the impact on students as well as associated with the individual style of his/her work. The obtained results can be used in the practice of coaches in technical and aesthetic sports as well as teachers of dance groups and choreographic schools for effective interaction in the system «teacher, coach – student».