Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2026
08:26
Assessing Activity-based Anorexia in Mice
Published on: May 14, 2018
Self-esteem: its application to eating disorders and athletes
1Department of Applied Health Science, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405.
International Journal of Sport Nutrition
|September 1, 1994
Summary
Low self-esteem is common in athletes with eating disorders, often linked to body dissatisfaction and a need for control. Nutrition counseling, alongside mental health support, can address these issues and improve athletic health.
Area of Science:
- Sports Psychology
- Clinical Nutrition
- Eating Disorder Research
Background:
- Self-esteem is a multifaceted perception influencing an individual's positivity.
- Factors like life satisfaction, demographics, and values impact self-esteem.
- Low self-esteem is prevalent in eating disorders, often correlating with heightened self-awareness and body dissatisfaction, particularly in women.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the relationship between self-esteem, body image, and eating behaviors in athletes.
- To highlight the critical role of control and perfectionism in athletes with eating disorders.
- To emphasize the importance of assessing readiness for nutrition counseling in this population.
Main Methods:
- Assessment of self-esteem, body image, and eating behaviors using various tools.
- Collaboration between nutrition professionals and mental health experts.
- Evaluation of the athlete's readiness for nutritional intervention.
Main Results:
- Athletes with eating disorders often exhibit perfectionism, acute body awareness, and a sense of lost control.
- Low self-esteem is a significant characteristic associated with eating disorders in athletes.
- Body dissatisfaction can exacerbate self-awareness in this group.
Conclusions:
- Nutrition counseling can be instrumental in helping athletes overcome eating disorders.
- Clarifying nutritional misconceptions and emphasizing health and performance benefits are key.
- Integrated mental health support is crucial for addressing complex issues like self-esteem and control in disordered eating athletes.
Related Concept Videos
02:08Trait and State Self-Esteem
The term self-esteem is often used generically, to refer to how people feel about themselves. However, according to research, there are three distinct constructs that should not be used interchangeably (Brown & Marshall, 2006).
01:28Self-Esteem
Self-esteem, a core aspect of psychological well-being, reflects an individual's positive and negative self-evaluation in terms of worth, competence, and overall value. It is both a stable trait and a dynamic process, influenced by experiences and social interactions across the lifespan. While global self-esteem offers a general assessment, research highlights that self-esteem is multidimensional and varies across specific life domains.Domain-Specific Self-EsteemResearchers have delineated...
01:18Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience
Self-esteem, a crucial component of psychological development, is significantly shaped by familial experiences. The early parent-child relationship serves as a foundational influence on a child's self-concept, with long-lasting effects extending into adolescence and adulthood.Parental Behaviors and Early Self-Esteem FormationEmpirical studies have identified four principal parental behaviors that foster healthy self-esteem in children. These include expressions of acceptance, affection, and...
01:24Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback
Self-esteem is intricately tied to our perception of competence and our ability to exert control over our lives. One of the primary sources of this perception is performance feedback — the ongoing evaluation of our actions in terms of success and failure. According to Franks and Marolla (1976), people derive self-worth from experiencing themselves as causal agents, capable of achieving goals and overcoming obstacles. This process nurtures a critical component of self-esteem: self-efficacy,...
01:27Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison
Social comparison plays a fundamental role in the evaluation of personal success and self-worth. Rather than assessing our achievements in isolation, we interpret their significance relative to personal goals and critically in comparison to the performance of others. A grade of B in a mathematics exam might elicit pride if one's expectation was a C, yet result in disappointment if an A was anticipated or if peers achieved superior results. These comparative evaluations illustrate how both...
01:27Protecting Self-Esteem
Self-esteem, a central component of psychological well-being, is actively maintained through various cognitive and behavioral strategies. Individuals employ specific mechanisms to preserve a positive self-concept and mitigate threats to their self-worth, particularly in contexts involving social evaluation or personal feedback. Four primary techniques are commonly used to sustain self-esteem.Manipulating AppraisalsOne prominent strategy involves manipulating appraisals from others. Individuals...