Self compassion as a predictor of social physique anxiety in athletes

OpenAlex İngilizce

The purpose of this study is to examine the explanatory effect of self-compassion on social physique anxiety in athletes. The study was conducted with the participation of a total of 462 athletes, 145 female and 317 male, who were studying at Yaşar Doğu Faculty of Sport Sciences. Self-compassion Scale and Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS) were used in the study. Independent sample t-test analysis showed that average scores of athletes for physical appearance comfort (PAC) t(250)=.158, p>0,5) and expectations of negative evaluation (ENE), t(262)=.649, p>0,5 did not show a significant difference in terms of gender. According to the results of Pearson Product-Moment Correlation analysis, negative significant association was found between PAC subscale of social physique anxiety and self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness dimensions of self-compassion while a positive significant association was found between self-judgment, isolation and over identification. Negative significant association was found between ENE subscale of social physique anxiety and self-kindness and mindfulness dimensions of self-compassion while a positive significant association was found between self-judgment, common humanity, isolation and over identification. Multiple regression analysis results presented the high level explanatory effect of self-compassion levels and the PAC of social physique anxiety , R=0.60, R²=0.36, p˂.01. Similarly, explanatory effect of ENE area of social physique anxiety, R=0.38, R²=0.15, p˂.01 was also presented.