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The Psychological Characteristics and Health Related Behavior of Adolescents: The Possible Roles of Social Physique Anxiety and Gender

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Emine Caglar ,
Naile Bilgili ,
Ayda Karaca ,
Sultan Ayaz  and
F. Hülya Aşçi
Emine Caglar*
Affiliation:
Kırıkkale University (Turkey)
Naile Bilgili
Affiliation:
Gazi University (Turkey)
Ayda Karaca
Affiliation:
Hacettepe University (Turkey)
Sultan Ayaz
Affiliation:
Gazi University (Turkey)
F. Hülya Aşçi
Affiliation:
Başkent University (Turkey)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Emine Caglar. School of Physical Education and Sport. Kırıkkale University. Yahşihan. 71450 Kırıkkale. (Turkey). E-mail: eminecaglar@kku.edu.tr
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not the social physique anxiety level and gender have an influence on psychological characteristics and health related behavior of adolescents. Five hundred and ninety eight female (Mage = 14.95, SD = .70 years) and three hundred and eighty four male (Mage = 15.08, SD = .76 years) adolescents voluntarily participated in this study. The Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS), three subscales of the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire, and the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale as indicators of psychological characteristics were administered to all participants. The Eating Attitude Test and Physical Activity Assessment Questionnaire were used to determine health related behavior. It was found that adolescents with high levels of SPA (HSPA) had more unfavourable eating attitudes, higher scores in socially-prescribed perfectionism, negative global physical self-worth and negative body related perceptions than those with low levels of SPA (LSPA). Physical activity levels of adolescents did not differ in the two SPA groups (high/low level). In addition, male adolescents in the present study were more physically active and had favorable eating attitudes and more positive self-perceptions of body fat and general physical self-worth than their female counterparts.

El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar si el nivel de ansiedad física social y el género tienen o no, influencia sobre las características psicológicas y la conducta saludable de los adolescentes. En esta investigación participaron voluntariamente 598 chicas (Mage = 14.95, SD = 0.70 años) y 384 chicos (Mage = 15.08, SD = 0.76 años) en edad adolescente. Como indicadores de las características psicológicas, a todos los participantes se les aplicó la Escala de Ansiedad Física y Social (SPAS), tres subescalas del Cuestionario de Auto-percepción Física, y la Escala Multidimensional de Perfeccionismo. El Test de Actitudes Alimentarias y el Cuestionario de Valoración de Actividad Física fueron utilizados para determinar la conducta saludable. Se descubrió que los adolescentes con altos niveles de ansiedad física social (HSPA) poseían más actitudes alimentarias desfavorables, mayores puntuaciones en perfeccionismo socialmente prescrito, menor autoestima física y percepciones negativas en relación con su cuerpo, que aquellos con bajos niveles de ansiedad física social (LSPA). Los niveles de actividad física de los adolescentes no se diferenciaban en los dos grupos (alto y bajo nivel de ansiedad física social). Además, en el presente estudio, los varones adolescentes eran físicamente más activos, tenían buenas actitudes alimentarias, una más positiva auto-percepción de la grasa corporal y una mejor autoestima física general, que sus homólogas femeninas.

Keywords

social physique anxietyeating attitudesperfectionismphysical selfphysical activityansiedad física socialactitudes alimentariasperfeccionismoyo físicoactividad física
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , November 2010 , pp. 741 - 750
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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