The Role of Physical Activity on Parental Rejection and Body Image Perceptions

Abstract

The present study investigated the potential moderating role of physical activity on the relationship between parental rejection and poor body image perceptions. Late adolescents and young adults from Turkey (N = 373; 256 females/117 males) reported their memories of upbringing (Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran/EMBU) related to both their mother and father, respectively, levels of physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaires/IPAQ), and body image perception (Body Cathexis Scale/body dissatisfaction and Social Physique Anxiety Scale/SPAS). EMBU mother and father rejection scores were combined and dichotomized, placing participants into high and low rejection groups. Multiple analysis of covariance, controlling for gender and body mass index, showed that high parental rejection was associated with poorer overall body image perception (η2 = 0.09; η2 Body Dissatisfaction = 0.09; η2 SPAS = 0.04), whereas higher physical activity was linked to better body image perception η2 = 0.02; η2 Body Dissatisfaction = 0.04; η2 SPAS = 0.03). While level of physical activity did not mediate the negative relationship between parental rejection on body image perceptions, very physically active individuals recalling high parental rejection displayed body image perceptions similar to participants with low parental rejection. Thus, although higher parental rejection is related to poorer body image perception, interventions targeting regular physical activity may help buffer against these negative effects.

Social Appearance Anxiety Scale: a psychometric investigation and evaluation of the influence of individual characteristics on social appearance anxiety in Brazilian adults who practice physical exercise

“…This result can be compared to that of a Canadian study carried out with people with obesity (Baillot et al, 2020), which found that participants with experienced lower levels of social physique anxiety had higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Moreover, physical exercise may positively influence the individual's self-assessment of body image (Naivar Sen et al, 2020). A scoping review (Sabiston et al, 2018) pointed out that based on results and the most frequent published associations, participation in physical activity and sport was related to a more positive body image, without causal conclusions.…”

Affective profiles of exercise episodes are associated with maladaptive and adaptive motivations for exercise

“…Perhaps somewhat paradoxically, individuals with binge‐spectrum EDs also engage in adaptive exercise (i.e., exercise that is neither driven nor compensatory). This type of exercise (e.g., for enjoyment and/or health improvement) is associated with positive physical and psychological effects, social benefits, and reduced ED symptoms (Pendleton et al., 2002; Sen et al., 2020; Vocks et al., 2009). Previous research suggests that some individuals with binge‐spectrum EDs may engage in a mix of adaptive and maladaptive exercise episodes, while many others engage in purely adaptive exercise.…”

“…Perhaps even more notably, participants frequently endorsed exercising for both maladaptive (i.e., to influence shape and weight, to avoid guilt) and adaptive (i.e., for health improvement or enjoyment) reasons during the same episode (Lampe, Forman, et al., 2021; Lampe, Trainor, et al., 2021). Furthermore, although the ED field typically focuses on maladaptive exercise behaviour (Scharmer et al., 2020), preliminary evidence suggests that increasing adaptive exercise has the potential to reduce ED pathology by reducing NA and body dissatisfaction and increasing positive affect (PA) and self‐efficacy (Lampe, Forman, et al., 2021; Pendleton et al., 2002; Sen et al., 2020; Vocks et al., 2009). Thus, to improve treatment outcomes for binge‐spectrum EDs, interventions must be able to distinguish and target maladaptive motivations for exercise without discouraging adaptive motivations for exercise.…”