Muscle dysmorphia in collegiate athletes.

Abstract

Significance. This study has the potential to provide statistics and information on a subject that desperately needs it. The questions answered by these college athletes will reveal not only whether or not they have characteristics of muscle dysmorphia, but also shed light on some of the possible causes. This information will be valuable in planning strategies to help steer these athletes away from muscle dysmorphia and the harmful mental and physical effects that can result. Purpose. The primary purpose of this study is to examine muscle dysmorphia (MD) characteristics in NCAA Division II athletes. A secondary purpose of this study is to determine whether or not other factors such as coaches, positions within certain sports, pressure to keep scholarships or desire to make it to the professional level of athletics are causes of muscle dysmorphia or muscle dysmorphia characteristics. Additional purposes include comparing sports and genders for differences in MD characteristics. Identifying which sports are at risk and why is a crucial step in the process of being proactive and preventing muscle dysmorphia from occurring. Methodology. 72 varsity athletes (47 male and 25 female; avg. age =20.18 ± 1.36) were recruited from the University of Central Oklahoma athletic department. Varsity sports that were represented include football, men's basketball, men's wrestling, women's rowing, women's tennis and women's volleyball. Data was collected via the Muscle Dysmorphia Inventory (MDI). The MDI is a 27-item self-report measure designed for the assessment of behavioral and psychological characteristics associated with MD. Additional questions were also asked about possible causative factors of muscle dysmorphia. Results. Tests of between-subjects effects revealed a significant effect for sport on MDI Diet (p = .01), MDI Supplement (p = .01), MDI Exercise Dependency (p = .01), MDI Physique Symmetry (p = .01), effect of coaches on mass (p = .01), effect of sport on mass (p = .01), effect of position on mass (p = .01) and effect of professional aspirations on mass ( p = .01). There were no significant differences between sports on MDI Pharmacology, MDI Physique Protection, and effect of keeping scholarship on the desire to gain mass. The most noticeable and reoccurring difference on the rest of the subscales was football scoring higher than most of the other sports on most of the subscales. Conclusions. The results of the present study suggests that muscle dysmorphia characteristics is present in NCAA collegiate athletes. The subscale that scored the highest with all sports was exercise dependency. This is of great concern because exercise dependency can result in injury both in the weight room and on the court/field. On a positive note, only three subjects (4%), answered to having used a pharmacological aid. The results of the present study support the need for more research to be done on the topic of muscle dysmorphia in all populations (NCAA male and female athletes, professional athletes, male and female high school athletes).