Sammenhenger mellom deltagelse i organisert idrett, kroppsbilde og selvfølelse fra 13 til 23-årsalder

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between youth's sport participation and body image and self-esteem at age 13 and 23, and possible sex-differences in these relations. A 10- year longitudinal study with a sample of 523 boys and girls was conducted. Data from when the subjects were 13 and 23 years old was used. Correlational analyses and regression analyses were used. The results show significant, but weak, correlations between sport participation and body image at age13, between sport participation and self-esteem at age 13, and between sport participation at age 13 and body image at age 23, but only for the boys. Regression analyses show that 53% of the variance in self- esteem at age 23 is explained by self-esteem at age 13, and sport participation and body image at both ages among boys. Among girls this is respectively 49%. The results indicate that boys' sport participation is positively associated with self-esteem at age 13 and 23, but that this association disappears when body image is considered. These results can indicate that sport participation can positively affect boys' self-esteem by increasing body image. It seems that sport participation is stronger connected to self-esteem and body image among boys than among girls