THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA AND DISORDERED EATING IN COLLEGE-AGED FEMALE GYMNASTS

While the relationships between media and eating disorders and disordered eating patterns incollege-aged women have been extensively studied (e.g., Bissel, 2004; Grabe & Hyde 2009;Harper & Tiggeman, 2008; Yamamiya, Cash, Melnyk, Posavac, & Posavac, 2005), fewerstudies have been conducted with female athletes. More specifically, limited studies havefocused on the relationship between social media and eating behaviors of athletesparticipating in aesthetic sporting events, even though the highest rates of disordered eatingpatterns occur in sports where female athletes are scored on judges’ opinions (Hausenblas &Carron, 1999; Smolak, Murnen, & Ruble, 2000; Sundgot-Borgen, 1994), and where leanness,thinness, and aesthetic skills and aspects are emphasized (Byrne & McLean, 2002; DiBartolo& Shaffer, 2002). Thus, the current study sought to understand the links among collegegymnasts’ perceptions of body image, disordered eating behaviors, and perceptions ofathletes’ body images presented on social media. Furthermore, the study also explored howcriticism presented on social media relates to disordered eating symptomatology. The studywas conducted via an online survey system by 72 18-25-year-old females who were currentlycompeting or recently competed in club or collegiate gymnastics. Results found significantcorrelations between the severity of critical comments about physical appearance, emotionalreaction to criticism about physical appearance, and disordered eating behavior in instanceswhere the comments were not made on social media, but no correlation was found betweenseverity, emotional reaction, and disordered eating behaviors for comments made on socialmedia.