Somatotype as a predictor of psychological characteristics of female university students

Date

2001-01-01

Author

Asci, FH
Kin, A
Kosar, SN

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the interrelationship between somatotype and psychological characteristics including physical self-perception, self-concept and anxiety. Ninety-eight volunteer female university students (M-age =21.60 +/- 1.93) who enrolled in elective courses from Physical Education and Sports Department voluntarily participated in this study. Somatotype components - endomorphy, mesomorphy, ectomorphy- were determined by using Heath Carter Method. In addition, "Marsh Physical Self-Description Questionnaire", "Tennessee Self-Concept Scale" and "Spielberger State-Trait Inventory" were administered to the subjects as measures of psychological characteristics. Data were analysed with multiple and stepwise regression models using the somatotype as independent variables to predict psychological characteristics. According to the results of Stepwise Multiple Regression Analyses, endomorphy and mesomorphy were significantly associated with moral self and family self subscales of self-concept (p<0.01) In addition, the multiple correlation coefficients of endomorphy with the subscale of physical self, personal self, social self, behavior, identity and total self-concept were significant (p<0.01). The results of stepwise multiple regression for the subscales of physical self-perception showed that endomorphy and mesomorphy were significant predictors of appearance, body fat, coordination, endurance, flexibility, health, strength and self-esteem subscales of MPSDQ, while endomorphy itself was significant predictor of activity and sport competence subscales of MPSDQ (p<0.01). Furthermore, endomorphy and state anxiety was significantly associated (p<0.05). In conclusion, besides determining the body shape of an individual, somatotype also has been found to have a role in accounting for some psychological characteristics of an individual.

Subject Keywords

Anxiety, Physical self-perception, Self-concept, Somatotype

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/66809

Collections

Department of Physical Education and Sports, Article