Life adjustment correlates of physical self-concepts

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Health Psychology
• Sport Psychology

Background:

• Life adjustment is influenced by various psychological factors.
• Physical self-concepts, encompassing perceptions of one's body and physical abilities, may play a significant role in overall well-being.
• Understanding these relationships is crucial for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the associations between specific physical self-concepts and measures of life adjustment in university students.
• To determine if physical self-perceptions uniquely predict life adjustment beyond global self-esteem and social desirability.

Main Methods:

• University students (N=245) completed the Physical Self-Perception Profile.
• Multiple regression analyses were used to test relationships between physical self-concepts (sport competence, physical condition, attractive body, strength, general physical self-worth) and life adjustment variables (positive affect, negative affect, depression, health complaints).
• Hierarchical regression controlled for global self-esteem and social desirability.

Main Results:

• Significant associations were found between physical self-concepts and positive affect, negative affect, depression, and health complaints in most analyses.
• Thirteen of these relationships remained significant after Bonferroni correction.
• Physical self-concepts significantly improved predictions of life adjustment in several analyses, independent of global self-esteem and social desirability.

Conclusions:

• Self-perceptions of physical competence are substantially related to life adjustment in college students.
• Specific physical self-concepts, such as sport competence, physical condition, attractive body, and general physical self-worth, are key predictors.
• These findings highlight the importance of physical self-perceptions for mental health and well-being in young adults.