To examine body image and possible distortion of body image among elite female dancers 10 members of a professional ballet company rated both current and ideal body shape. In addition, an objective measure of body composition was obtained via skinfold techniques, t tests indicated that the mean rating for current body image was significantly higher than the rating for ideal, despite the fact that body-composition measures for all subjects were in an “ideal” range according to normative standards. Analysis indicated a high distortion of body image among these dancers and support psychophysiological concerns previously raised.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Brooks-GunnJ.WarrenM. P.HamiltonL. H. (1987) The relationship of eating problems to amenorrhea in ballet dancers. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 19, 41–44.
2.
CalabreseL. H.KirkendalD. T. (1983) Nutritional and medical considerations in dancers. Clinics in Sports Medicine, 2, 539–548.
3.
ChanC. S.GrossmanH. Y. (1988) Psychological effects of running loss on consistent runners. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 66, 875–883.
4.
GarnerD. M.GarinkelP. E. (1980) Sociocultural factors in the development of anorexia nervosa. Psychological Medicine, 10, 646–656.
5.
GrayS. (1977) Social aspects of body image: Perception of normalcy of weight and affect of college undergraduates. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 45, 1035–1040.
6.
HalltnanC. J.PierceE. F.EvansJ. E.DeGrenierJ. D.AndresE. E. (1991) Perceptions of current and ideal body shape of athletes and nonathletes. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 72, 123–130.
7.
HamiltonW. G. (1986) Physical prerequisites for ballet dancers. Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine, 3, 61–66.
8.
PierceE. F.DalengM. L.McGowanR. W. (1993) Scores on exercise dependence among dancers. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 76, 531–535.
9.
PollockM. L.JacksonA. S. (1980) Measurement of cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in the clinical setting. Comprehensive Therapy, 6, 12–27.
10.
StunkardA. J.SorensonT.SchulsingerF. (1983) Use of the Danish Adoption Register for the study of obesity and thinness. In KetyS. (Ed.), The genetics of neurological and psychiatric disorders. New York: Raven. Pp. 115–120.
