Female high school athletes and issues of disordered eating, aggression, and femininity
Date
2009
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Abstract
The current study sought to determine the rates of eating behaviors, aggression, and femininity in female high school athletes. Two hundred twenty-four high school girls enrolled in two different high schools in a city in Northern Colorado participated in this study. The study examined five levels of sports participation including participation in any sport, in feminine sports (e.g., Cheerleading, Dance, Gymnastics, Volleyball, and Swimming), masculine sports (e.g., Basketball, Hockey, Softball, Soccer, and Lacrosse), neutral sports (e.g., Cross Country, Golf, Track, and Tennis), and participation in multiple sports. Eating behaviors, aggression (e.g., physical and relational), and attitudes towards femininity were then compared across all levels of participation. In terms of eating behaviors, the current study found that contrary to past research, girls involved in sports and girls not involved in sports reported similar levels of behaviors. In terms of physical and relational aggression, the study found that girls were not more likely to engage in these behaviors based on sports participation. Regarding attitudes towards femininity, girls did not significantly vary on their attitudes toward traditional feminine values based on level of sport participation. The study overall contributes information regarding the population of high school female athletes. Compared to elite athletes, it is clear, that we need to continue to examine the unique needs and issues at the high school level, especially in relation to eating habits, aggression, and attitudes towards femininity.
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Subject
aggression
eating disorders
femininity
girls' sports
high school sports
physical aggression
relational aggression
women's studies
clinical psychology
secondary school students