Physical fitness and its relation to mood, body image self-concept, social pressures and internalization, teasing and weight bias in children.

Funding Agency:  Association for Applied Sport Psychology

Researchers:  Trent A. Petrie, Scott Martin, Christy Greenleaf, and Jordan Hamson

Overview:  The purpose of this project was to examine the relationship between current levels of physical fitness and a wide-range of psychosocial health factors.  During summer 2007, staff from the Center for Sport Psychology conducted fitness testing (using the FITNESSGRAM) with children ages 8-15 who were attending a summer activity program at the Plano Sport Authority in Plano, TX.  Fitness testing was done as part of the PSA’s Fit for Fun summer program and provided children and their parents with current measures of aerobic fitness, flexibility, strength, and body composition. Campers ages 11-15 also completed a series of questionnaires designed to measure the psychosocial factors of interest. This study will provide us with data to examine the interaction between children’s levels of involvement in physical activity, nutritional status, and fitness, and how those are related to their self-concept, body image, and current mood state. In addition, we will examine how social pressures and teasing they may have experienced relate to their willingness to be physically active and whether that moderates the potential negative effects on self-concept and body image.

Prevalence of eating disorders among male and female collegiate athletes and nonathletes

Funding Agency:  University of North Texas

Researchers:  Trent A. Petrie, Laura Dipasquale, and Megan Brannan

 Overview:  In this study, samples of male and female collegiate athletes and nonathletes are being drawn from a Division I level university to participate. Each sample will complete the Questionnaire for Eating Disorder Diagnosis (QEDD) as a screen for level of disordered eating. Athletes and nonathletes who score in the symptomatic or disordered range will be identified and interviewed to determine accuracy of QEDD classification. In addition, a matched sample of asymptomatic athletes and nonathletes will be identified and interviewed as well (using the same protocol). This study will allow us to determine accurate prevalence rates because of the use of follow-up clinical interviews. In addition, it will allow us to test the predictive validity of the QEDD with male and female athletes.

Gender discrepancy and health

Researchers:  Sarah Phillips, Trent Petrie, Christy Greenleaf

Overview:  The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between gender discrepancy (e.g., how satisfied a woman is with her current expressive and instrumental characteristics) and health in female college freshmen, specifically their psychological (i.e., body image concerns, self-esteem, locus of control and satisfaction with life) and physical (i.e., physical self-concept, frequency, duration, and intensity of physical activity) functioning.  This study will provide us with a better understanding of how gender discrepancy may impact college women’s functioning in many areas.  In addition, it will help us to explore how gender discrepancy may impact younger college women, specifically freshmen.  The results will aid planning of appropriate interventions for college women and provide a more complete understanding of the dynamic nature of gender discrepancy.

Moderators of the Body Dissatisfaction - Eating Disorder Symptomatology Relationship

Investigators: Megan Brannan, M.A. and Trent Petrie, Ph.D.

Overview: In this study, research conducted by Tylka (2004) was replicated and extended by examining perfectionism (self-oriented and socially prescribed), ego goal orientation, body surveillance, and neuroticism as moderators of the relationship between body dissatisfaction and bulimic and anorexic symptomatology among female undergraduates (N = 398). Hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) was used to test the main and interactive effects of the models as well as allow for the control of physical size and social desirability. As expected, body dissatisfaction was strongly related to the measures of disordered eating, accounting for 16% to 26% of the variance. Two variables (neuroticism and body surveillance) received support as moderators of the relationships between body dissatisfaction and bulimic and anorexic symptoms. Ego goal orientation and socially prescribed perfectionism moderated the effects on bulimic symptoms, whereas self-oriented perfectionism served as a moderator only for anorexic symptoms. In all instances, higher levels of body dissatisfaction paired with higher levels of the moderator were associated with more disturbed eating.

Presented at the 2007 annual convention of American Psychological Association in San Francisco.  In press in the Journal of Counseling Psychology.

Parents’, Coaches’, and Peers’ Influence on the Motivational Climate in Youth Sports: Effectson  Goal Orientations, Psychological Well-Being, Sport Competence, Fun, and Intention to Continue in Sport

Investigators:  Matt Atkins, Erica Force, Dustin Johnson, and Trent Petrie

Overview:  The purpose of this study is to assess the parenting, coaching and peer factors that contribute to youth athletes' perceived motivational climates, and the relationship of these factors to youth athletes' goal orientations and outcomes such as psychological well-being, sport competence, and enjoyment in sport.  This study will provide a better understanding of how youth athlete's goal orientations are related to their perceptions of the motivational climate and the outcomes experienced in sport. The results may also provide information that is helpful for educating parents about the impact they have on their children's youth sport experiences.

 An Investigation of Flow and Performance

Investigator:  Troy Manning and Trent Petrie

The Effectiveness of ROPES Course Interventions

Investigators:  Glenn Pfenninger and Trent Petrie

Overview: The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a ROPES course intervention on increasing team cohesion and individual confidence. Specifically, we will examine the levels of team cohesion (i.e., team unity, task cohesion, social cohesion, etc.) before and after a team participated in a day of low and high ROPES activities run by an experienced and certified facilitator. Further, the levels of cohesion within the team that participated in the ROPES course will be compared to that of a team of similar cohesiveness that did not participate in a ROPES course or similar activity. In addition, individual sport related confidence (i.e., trait and state) will be assessed both within individuals on the team that participated in the ROPES course and between the two teams. Short term and long term effects of the ROPES course will be assessed both within and between teams. This study will provide us with information about whether ROPES courses may be used as effective tools in tandem with sport psychology interventions to improve some fundamental factors that influence team success. Additionally, the results may lead to future development of interventions after a ROPES course to improve the duration of the ROPES course’s effectiveness.

Exploring High School Coaches’ Opinions of Important Sport Psychologist Characteristics. 

Investigators:  Harlan Austin and Trent Petrie

Overview:  As the opportunities for consulting in the field of sport psychology have grown, so has the interest in the “who, what, and how” of service delivery (Anderson, Miles, Robinson, & Mahoney, 2004; Meyers, Coleman, Whelan, & Mehlenbech, 2001; Martin, 2005). To examine this area, research has looked to the “gatekeepers,” or potential consumers, to learn how to better deliver applied services. Research with coaches, however, has been lacking even though gaining entry with a team generally is predicated on gaining entry with the coach (Ravizza, 1988). The purpose of this study is to examine the possible characteristics that coaches determine to be important when deciding to hire a sport psychologist. Participants will fill out an online questionnaire asking them to rate characteristics that they deem as important when deciding to hire a sport psychologist. This study will allow us to get information directly from coaches about what characteristics they think is important when deciding to hire a sport psychology consultant.