Male Athlete and Non Athlete Body Image Differences Haley Heikkinen & Jessica Arp Advised by: Susan Wolfgram, Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Stout Research Problem : Western society views eating disorders as only female issue because of traditional image of males is that they are both physically and emotionally tough (Carter et al. 2008). Male college students strive to attain body satisfaction through muscle mass and overall body shape. Body dissatisfaction in males has been linked to decreased self-esteem and eating disorders (Watkins et al. 2008). Research Question: Is there a difference between male athletes and non athletes in how they perceive their body image and engage in eating disordered behaviors? Hypothesis: We predicted that the college male athletes would be more likely to participate in eating disordered behaviors than non athletes. Purpose of Study: #1. Investigate difference between college male athletes and non athletes in how they view body image #2. Develop a reliable survey instrument to measure those comparable views #3. Increase awareness of male risky eating behaviors for coaches and athletic trainers in order to offer insight that they serve as role models for the younger population Theoretical Framework: Family Ecology Theory (Paloutzian & Park, 2005) includes four environments that the family interacts with; the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem. As applied to this study the theory predicts that on the macrosystem, the involvement in college athletics would influence male’s body image and eating disordered behaviors Literature Review: Levitt concluded that involvement in organized athletics may have less of an influence on eating disordered behavior than unorganized athletics (2008). Ousley et al. concluded that men with an eating disorder were less afraid of gaining weight than females. Men with an eating disorder were more focused on having a toned body (2008). Carter et al. discovered that less than two percent of the participants were underweight according to their body mass index. Over one quarter of the participants were dissatisfied with their weight and expressed that their concerns were due to feelings of being underweight (2008). Barlett et al. concluded that both negative and positive media pressures correlated with negative and positive behaviors and perception of body image (2008). Watkins et al. concluded that both overweight and underweight males reported increased rates of negative body image and increased concerns regarding their overall shape compared to normal weight college males (2008). Method: Participant: 55 undergraduate male students at a small Midwestern University. Research Design: Cross sectional, purposive sampling design. Data Collection Instrument: IRB approved, informed by literature & theory, implied consent. Self administered surveys with four demographic variables, 10 closed ended questions based on a 1-5 Lickert scale. Procedure: Administered questions to male college students in a major specific introductory course and a male dominant athletic team. Explained implied consent and confidentiality. Data Analysis Plan: Cleaned & coded surveys, analyzed data using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) frequencies, mean comparisons, correlations, and a reliability analysis: Cronbach’s Alpha. Results: Support was found for the hypothesis with significant mean differences between college athletes and non-athletes in the use of supplements (SUP) and laxatives (LAX) with the athletes having a higher mean score than non-athletes. Reliability analysis: Chronbach’s Alpha: Implications: University Athletic Department use for education, athletic evaluation, performance and knowledge. Future practitioner use in working with adolescent males and college males. Future research: Random, large undergraduate sample, qualitative interviews, compare groups/demographics. Conclusion: Body image attitudes and behaviors are more prevalent in college male athletes than non athletes. There is a relationship between college athletics and body image attitude and behaviors. It is important for athletic departments, coaches, and professionals who work with adolescent and college males to understand the hyper-masculinity of Western society. Efforts can be made to increase awareness and offer education on health and performance.. “I eat a lot and still loose weight.”- Anonymous Demographic Variables: (GEN) Gender, (AGE) Age, (YER) Year in School, (ATH) College Athlete or Non Athlete (NAT) Dependent Variables: (SAT) I am satisfied with my body image (FER) I am fearful of gaining weight (FEL) I often feel fat (EXR) I exercise often to burn calories (SUP) I use body weight supplements to alter my body image (LAX) I use laxatives to alter my body image (SRD) I use steroids to alter my body image (RST) I restrict calories to alter my body image (BPC) I participate in binge purge cycles to alter my body image (COM) Compared to my peers I feel inadequate with my body image Independent T-tests Variables College Athlete Non Athlete tdfsig(2 tailed) FEL 1.79 (1.04) 2.52 (1.29) *.025 SUP 2.06 (1.35) 1.29 (0.72) *.008 LAX1.38 (0.85) 1.05 (0.22) *.036 p<=.05, two tailed. Standard deviations appear in parens below means.