Body dissatisfaction among male and female runners: associations with emotional intelligence and sport characteristics
Abstract
Body image dissatisfaction impacts both physical and psychological health, as well as social functioning, even among athletes. Previous studies indicate a connection between dissatisfaction and emotional intelligence, as well as engagement in sports activities. Notably, existing research has predominantly concentrated on exploring these associations in women, with limited findings available for men. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential correlation between body image dissatisfaction in male and female runners and both emotional intelligence and training characteristics. This cross-sectional analytic study involved 284 participants, comprising 136 men and 148 women, with an average age of 38.7 years. The study employed a questionnaire encompassing sociodemographic information and training characteristics. Additionally, the Body Image Dissatisfaction Questionnaire and the Brief Emotional Intelligence Scale were utilized in the assessment. The results indicate that women showed greater dissatisfaction with body image (d = -.58), fewer years running (d = .44), fewer kilometers (d = .42) and more minutes per kilometer (d = -.42); also have greater interpersonal skills (d = -.29), intrapersonal (d = -.24) and worse stress management (d = -.30), compared to men. Certain sport-related factors, such as the number of years spent running, days per week of running, weekly kilometers, and minutes per kilometer, are particularly associated with body image satisfaction, especially among the male participants. In both groups, a higher level of emotional intelligence is linked to lower levels of body image dissatisfaction. Nevertheless, among men, interpersonal intelligence is connected to increased dissatisfaction with body image. The interplay between sports involvement and emotional intelligence appears to play a crucial role in reducing dissatisfaction with body image.
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