Abstract
Background:
Athletic identity is the degree to which an athlete’s self-identity is tied to their role as an athlete [1]. Higher levels have been shown to protect against burnout but can lead to greater mental health concerns following injury [2]. Dance is a multifaceted discipline that combines artistry, athleticism, and aesthetics, which can leave dancers uncertain of their identity as an athlete. Given the demands of dance, evidence suggests that dancers’ body image may be related to their identity [3]. Although previous findings on dancer’s body image have varied [4], there is a lack of current literature examining the athletic identity of dancers and its relationship to body image.
Hypothesis:
To describe the relationship between dancers’ body image and athletic identity in a group of youth and young adult dancers. We hypothesized that dancers with higher athletic identity would demonstrate poorer perceptions of their body image.
Methods:
Dancers 12-25 years of age participated in a cross-sectional electronic survey assessing body image (Body Appreciation Scale-2, BAS-2) and their personal relationship with dance (Athletic Identity Measurement Scale, AIMS). BAS-2 asked how true 10 body image statements were to them, while AIMS consisted of 10 statements related to the athlete role. Total AIMS was divided into sub-scores of social identity (SI), exclusivity (EX), and negative affectivity (NA). Spearman correlations were performed to identify the relationship between AIMS scores and body image, and Mann-Whitney U tests compared those with high and low athletic identity (α<0.05). A logistic regression was performed to determine predictors of body image.
Results:
A total of 89 dancers (15.29±3.35 years; 87 female) completed the survey. Dancers with high athletic identity (Total AIMS>55) were found to have poorer body image (p=0.022) and were older (p=0.004; Table 1). Additionally, greater total AIMS (r=-0.215), NA (r=-0.427) and age (r=-0.506) were all correlated to poorer body image (p<0.05). The regression model found that age, SI and NA were all significant predictors of body image, with age being the strongest predictor (Table 2).
Conclusion:
Dancers with higher athletic identity, particularly those with elevated NA - reflecting sadness or distress in response to negative sport-related outcomes - tended to report poorer body image. Older dancers also exhibited poorer body image and a stronger personal connection to their sport. Further research is needed to develop interventions addressing mental health and body image in dancers, especially those with high athletic identity.
