Title: Positive body image development in late adolescent and young women athletes
Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Erica Bennett
Committee members: Dr. Desmond McEwan, Dr. Katherine Tamminen
Defence Chair: Dr. Maria Gallo
Abstract: Sport is a unique environment for body image experiences. Body image is gendered, and girls are susceptible to appearance and functionality-related body image concerns that may limit their sport enjoyment and participation. That said, late adolescence and young adulthood have been highlighted as a time when body image may shift more positively for girls and women athletes. Gaps in the literature remain, however, including contrasting findings in part due to variance in assessing body image constructs, a lack of focus on positive body image development, and samples with individuals who have homogenous positive body image trajectories. The purpose of this research was to understand late adolescent girls and young women athletes’ experiences of positive body image development. Nine adolescent girls and young women aged 16 to 23 who were current athletes and self-identified as experiencing positive body image participated in semi-structured interviews and collage sessions where they were invited to share their experiences of positive body image over time. Using reflexive thematic analysis, three themes were identified and interpreted in the interview and collage data. ‘My Body is Just Right’ pertained to factors facilitating the development and maintenance of positive body image including sport-related body appreciation and acceptance, confidence, positive body image role modeling, body image self-definition, and coach influence. It’s Harder for Girls referred to challenges faced including body comments, appearance-related expectations, and pressures to be ‘perfect’. Positive body image was not something to be achieved and then forgotten, but rather needing to be continually chosen and worked on. The Balancing Act encompassed adaptive coping strategies used to develop and maintain positive body image such as mindset shifts, body diversity recognition and appreciation, self-kindness, and body protective information filtering. These findings contribute to our theoretical understanding of positive body image by highlighting the continuous maintenance processes in which athletes must engage through adaptive coping due to the pervasive sociocultural and sport-specific body-related stressors they face. This study also highlights cognitive-affective shifts, body-positive role modelling, and coach education as potential avenues for positive body image interventions. Methodologically, this research can help inform processes for collage as an arts-based research method.