The authors assessed the relationships between external pressures to excel, competitiveness, eating disorder characteristics, and body dissatisfaction. Participants consisted of 78 male and 85 female undergraduate students at a southwestern university. Participants were split between general and athletic samples. Participants completed the Socially Prescribed Competitiveness Survey. Within the general sample, external pressures and competitiveness were both positively correlated with eating disorder characteristics and body dissatisfaction. Within the athletic sample, competitiveness was positively correlated with body dissatisfaction. For the athletic sample's women, external pressures were positively correlated with eating disorder characteristics. Although the athletic sample received more external pressure, they showed fewer eating disorder characteristics and body dissatisfaction. Differences are explained by considering gender, body mass index, dieting and exercising behaviors, and motivations to exercise and diet.
Beals, K.A., & Manore, M.M. (1994). The prevalence and consequences of subclinical eating disorders in female athletes. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 4, 175-195.
2.
Berry, T.R., & Howe, B.L. (2000). Risk factors for disordered eating in female university athletes. Journal of Sport Behavior, 23, 207-218.
3.
Blacker, K., Drake, R., Reed, A., Almeida, J., & Raudenbush, B. (2007). Body image satisfaction among intercollegiate female athletes using a scale of muscularity. Appetite, 49, 279.
4.
Blatt, S.J. (1995). The destructiveness of perfectionism: Implications for the treatment of depression. American Psychologist, 50, 1003-1020.
5.
Chang, E.C., & Rand, K.L. (2000). Perfectionism as a predictor of subsequent adjustment: Evidence for a specific diathesis-stress mechanism among college students . Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47, 129-137.
6.
Cumella, E.J., Wall, A.D., & Kerr-Almeida, N. (2000). MMPI-2 in the inpatient assessment of women with eating disorders. Journal of Personality Assessment, 75, 387-403.
7.
Davis, C., Claridge, G., & Fox, J. (2000). Not just a pretty face: Physical attractiveness and perfectionism in the risk for eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 27, 67-73.
8.
DiBartolo, P.M., & Shaffer, C. (2002). A comparison of female college athletes and nonathletes: Eating disorder symptomatology and psychological well-being. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 24, 33-41.
9.
Dunkley, D.M., Blankstein, K.R., Halsall, J., Williams, M., & Winkworth, G. (2000). The relation between perfectionism and distress: Hassles, coping, and perceived social support as mediators and moderators . Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47, 437-453.
10.
Ferrand, C., & Brunet, E. (2004). Perfectionism and risk for disordered eating among young French male cyclists of high performance. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 3, 959-967.
11.
Fulkerson, J.A., Keel, P.K., Leon, G.R., & Dorr, T. (1999). Eating-disordered behaviors and personality characteristics of high school athletes and nonathletes. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 26, 73-79.
12.
Graham, J.R. (2000). MMPI-2: Assessing personality and psychopathology . New York: Oxford University Press .
13.
Hausenblas, H., & McNally, K. (2004). Eating disorder prevalence and symptoms for track and field athletes and nonathletes. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 16, 274-286.
14.
Höglund, K., & Normén, L. (2002). A high exercise load is linked to pathological weight control behavior and eating disorders in female fitness instructors . Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 12, 261-275.
15.
Huon, G., Hayne, A., Gunewardene, A., Strong, K., Lunn, N., Piira, T., et al. (1999). Accounting for differences in dieting status: Steps in the refinement of a model. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 26, 420-433.
16.
Huon, G.F., & Walton, C.J. (2000). Initiation of dieting among adolescent females . International Journal of Eating Disorders, 28, 226-230.
17.
Johnsgard, K.W. (1989). The exercise prescription for depression and anxiety . New York: Plenum.
18.
Johnson, C.E., & Petrie, T.A. (1996). Relationship of gender discrepancy to psychological correlates of disordered eating in female undergraduates. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 43, 473-479.
19.
Kirk, G., Singh, K., & Getz, H. (2001). Risk of eating disorders among female college athletes and nonathletes. Journal of College Counseling, 4, 122-132.
20.
Krane, V., Stiles-Shipley, J.A., Waldron, J., & Michalenok, J. (2001). Relationships among body satisfaction, social physique anxiety, and eating behaviors in female athletes and exercisers. Journal of Sport Behavior, 24, 247-264.
21.
Nattiv, A., Agostini, R., Drinkwater B., & Yeager K. K. (1994). The female athlete triad: The interrelatedness of disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. Clinical Sports and Medicine, 13, 405-418.
22.
Nelson, J.K., Moxness, K.E., Jenson, M.D., & Gastineau, C.F. (1994). Mayo Clinic diet manual: A handbook of nutrition practices (7th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.
23.
Nordin, S.M., Harris, G., & Cumming J. (2003). Disturbed eating in young, competitive gymnasts: Differences between three gymnastics disciplines. European Journal of Sport Science, 3, 1-14.
24.
Reinking, M., & Alexander, L. (2005). Prevalence of disordered-eating behaviors in undergraduate female collegiate athletes and nonathletes. Journal of Athletic Training, 40, 47-51.
25.
Rice, K.G., & Mirzadeh, S.A. (2000). Perfectionism, attachment, and adjustment. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47, 238-250.
26.
Rodin, J., Silverstein, L., & Striegel-Moore, R. (1984). Women and weight: A normative discontent. Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, 27, 267-307.
27.
Rosen, L.W., & Hough, D.O. (1988). Pathogenic weight-control behaviours in female college gymnasts. Physician and Sports Medicine, 16, 141-146.
28.
Ryujin, D.H., Breaux, C., & Marks, A.D. (1999). Symptoms of eating disorders among female distance runners: Can the inconsistencies be unraveled? Women and Health , 30, 71-83.
29.
Stormer, S.M., & Thompson, J.K. (1996). Explanations of body image disturbance: A test of maturational status, negative verbal commentary, social comparison, and sociocultural hypotheses. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 19, 193-202.
30.
Striegel-Moore, R.H., & Kearney-Cooke, A. (1994). Exploring parents' attitudes and behaviors about their children's physical appearance. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 15, 377-385.
31.
Sundgot-Borgen, J. (1993). Prevalence of eating disorders in elite female athletes. International Journal of Sport Nutrition, 3, 29-40.
32.
Sundgot-Borgen, J. (1994). Risk and trigger factors for the development of eating disorders in female elite athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 26, 414-419.
33.
Thompson, R.A., & Sherman, R.T. (1999). Athletes, athletic performance, and eating disorders: Healthier alternatives. Journal of Social Issues, 55, 317-337.
Wichstrom, L. (2000). Psychological and behavioral factors unpredictive of disordered eating: A prospective study of the general adolescent population in Norway. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 28, 33-42.
36.
Wilkins, J.A. & Boland, F.J. (1991). A comparison of male and female university athletes and nonathletes on eating disorder indices: Are athletes protected? Journal of Sport Behavior, 14, 129-143.
37.
Williamson, D.A., Netemeyer, R.G., Jackman, L.P., Anderson, D.A., Funsch, C.L., & Rabalais, J.Y. (1995). Structural equation modeling of risk factors for the development of eating disorders in female athletes . International Journal of Eating Disorders, 17, 387-393.
