Individual and relational risk factors for the dev

Authors: Rita Francisco Isabel Narciso Madalena Alarcão

Publish Date: 2013/08/13

Volume: 18, Issue: 4, Pages: 403-411

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Abstract

This study compared potential risk and protective factors levels of disordered eating DE and their relationship among young aesthetic athletes elite and nonelite and controls N = 725 625  females mean age = 153 SD = 21 The participants completed selfreport measures McKnight Risk Factor SurveyIV Contour Drawing Rating Scale and Eating Disorder ExaminationQuestionnaire Female elite athletes showed a greater risk of developing eating disorders than nonelite athletes and controls with no difference between the three groups of males Multiple group analyses revealed important differences in DE predictors Although social pressure is the strongest DE predictor in nonelite athletes and controls in elite athletes the strongest DE predictor is body image dissatisfaction Parental influences rather than selfesteem are predictors of DE in elite athletes unlike the other two groups These results show that the risk and protective factors involved in the development of DE are not universally valid The results highlight the importance of studying specific characteristics associated with DE in aesthetic athletes Some implications for ED risk assessment and prevention are discussedThe authors thank all of the adolescents and their teachers and coaches for their participation in the study Funding for this study was provided by the PhD grant to the first author SFRH/BD/27472/2006 by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia FCT Portugal

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