ABSTRACT
AIM: The development of the 6-factor, 27-item Muscle Dysmorphia Inventory (MDI) was based on Lantz et al. proposed model of characteristics associated with Muscle Dysmorphia. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: quantitative procedures including item-to-total correlations, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and structure equation modeling confirmed the construct validity of the scale. Convergent validity was also tested. SETTING: bodybuilding and powerlifting competition venues, weight training facilities, and university athletic venues. PARTICIPANTS: the 1(st) study consisted of 77 experienced male free weight lifters. The 2(nd) study consisted of 156 male non-competitive bodybuilders and weight lifters and 168 elite level powerlifters and bodybuilders. The 3(rd) study consisted of 151 male and female bodybuilders and weight lifters. MEASURES: each participant completed demographic information, the MDI, Drive for Thinness subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory, and the Training Dependency subscale of the Bodybuilding Dependence Scale. RESULTS: Reliability estimates (Cronbach's a) ranged from 0.72 to 0.94. Factor loadings in all 3 studies supported the 6-factor structure (size/symmetry, supplement use, exercise dependence, pharmacological use, dietary behavior, and physique protection). Much of the scale validation was focused on construct validity, however, correlations with the MDI's subscales and the Training Dependency subscale of the Bodybuilding Dependence Scale and the Drive for Thinness subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory provided evidence of convergent validity also. CONCLUSIONS: From these preliminary results, the MDI appears to contribute to the identification of a newly formed disorder by offering a multi-dimensional measure of factors related to Muscle Dysmorphia.
Subject(s)
Body Image , Muscle Development/physiology , Psychometrics/instrumentation , Somatoform Disorders/psychology , Weight Lifting/psychology , Adult , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Feeding and Eating Disorders/diagnosis , Feeding and Eating Disorders/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Muscle, Skeletal/physiology , Personality Inventory , Somatoform Disorders/diagnosis , Thinness/psychologyABSTRACT
Employing the Interpersonal Process Recall technique, 7 Division I college tennis players reviewed and analyzed their performance, thoughts, and feelings as they watched video tapes of themselves competing in conference matches. Analysis of the audio transcripts indicated these women identified performance strengths, weaknesses, and intervening psychological factors.
Subject(s)
Psychomotor Performance , Tennis/psychology , Female , HumansABSTRACT
This study compared Caucasian, Hispanic, and African-American urban adolescent athlete and non-athlete females for relative frequency of behavioral and psychological indices of eating disorders, while controlling for physical size. High school female athletes (n=571) and non-athletes (n=463) completed the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) composed of eight subscales that measure behavioral and psychological indices common in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The MANCOVA for the main effect of ethnicity showed Caucasians and Hispanics scored significantly higher than African-Americans on six of the eight behavioral and psychological subscales of the EDI (p<0. 05). A MANCOVA for the main effect of athletic status showed no significant differences between athletes and non-athletes on the behavioral subscales of the EDI (p>0.05). This study suggests that Hispanic and Caucasian urban adolescent females are comparably more at-risk for eating disorders than African-American urban adolescent females. In addition, athletes were no more at-risk than non-athletes for eating disordered behaviors.