[Body image of the male athlete. A study of the psychological health of wrestlers and rowers of the lower weight class]

Psychother Psychosom Med Psychol. 1993 Dec;43(12):432-8.
[Article in German]

Abstract

The present study reports findings concerning the body-experience of male athletes. 25 wrestlers and 59 rowers in the lower weight categories were investigated using the questionnaire for evaluation of body-experience "Fragebogen zur Beurteilung des eigenen Körpers--FBK" (Strauss u. Appelt, 1983). Due to nature of their sports, these men are particularly subject to a constant pressure to maintain a low body weight. In 31% of the subjects the FBK profiles were indicative of disturbances of body-image and body-experience. This subgroup also demonstrated multiple pathologically elevated scores in the personality questionnaire "Freiburger Persönlichkeitsinventar" (Fahrenberger et al. 1984) and the Eating-Disorder-Inventory (Garner et al. 1983). Low-weight wrestlers and rowers should be considered a high-risk male population for body-image disturbances and other psychological disorders. The casual relationship between the specific sport and the development of an body-image disorder is discussed.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Attitude to Health
  • Body Image*
  • Body Mass Index
  • Body Weight*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Personality Inventory
  • Sports / psychology*
  • Wrestling / psychology*