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864 BO48 – Towards prevention of self-objectification in young female athletes on social media: instagram posting patterns of female elite athletes in aesthetic and non-aesthetic individual sports
Linköping University, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Division of Society and Health. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Linköping. (Athletics Research Center)ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0938-084X
Linköping University, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. (Athletics Research Center)
Linköping University, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Psychology. Linköping University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Linköping University, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences. (Athletics Research Center)ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3955-0443
Lunds universitet.
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2024 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Background Elite athletes are role models for young sportspersons regarding social media use. Self-objectification, including self-sexualizing, contributes to body dissatisfaction and body shame, especially in young females. For efficient prevention of self-objectification, knowledge is needed about elite athletes’ self-presentation on social media.

Objective To compare social media postings indicative of self-objectification among female elite athletes in an aesthetic and a non-aesthetic individual sport and by age.

Design Cross-sectional quantitative visual content analysis study.

Setting Instagram on October 1st, 2021.

Participants All Swedish elite female athletes aged 16 years or older with open Instagram accounts in figure skaters (n=26) and athletics (track and field) athletes (n=40).

Assessment of Risk Factors The 30 most recently posted images were identified from each athlete’s Instagram account (Figure). Following exclusion of non-topical images, a panel (4 women/4 men) individually scored factors indicative of self-objectification in the remaining images. The scores were analyzed quantitatively by sport (figure skating/athletics) and age group (age-cut at 21 years).

Main Outcome Measurements Proportion of sexually suggestive images in Instagram postings.

Results In total, 1,869 images were analyzed; 669 posted by figure skaters and 1200 by athletics athletes. Seventy-four images (4%) were classified as containing sexually suggestive content. Figure skaters posted more images with sexually suggestive content (p=0.032) than athletics athletes (especially images with sexual posing (p=0.005) and sexualized body parts in focus (chest (p=0.049); hip-region (p=0.001)). Younger athletes published more images interpreted to contain sexual suggestion than older athletes (p<0.001) (especially images focusing on the chest (p=0.008)). 

Conclusions Prevention of self-objectification in young female sportspersons should include moderation of self-presentation practices on social media among female elite athletes in aesthetic sports and young elite athletes in their upper teens. Further research on the role of social media in the etiology of mental unhealth in sportspersons is warranted. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, 2024. Vol. 58(suppl 2), p. A69-A70
National Category
Medical and Health Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-204005DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2024-IOC.121OAI: oai:DiVA.org:liu-204005DiVA, id: diva2:1863306
Conference
7th IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sports. Monaco. Abstract in British Journal of Sports Medicine
Available from: 2024-05-31 Created: 2024-05-31 Last updated: 2024-06-05Bibliographically approved

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Jederström, MoaDahlström, ÖrjanKorhonen, LauraLundqvist, CarolinaTimpka, Toomas

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Jederström, MoaSandell, HannaDahlström, ÖrjanKorhonen, LauraLundqvist, CarolinaTimpka, Toomas
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Division of Society and HealthFaculty of Medicine and Health SciencesDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in LinköpingDepartment of Health, Medicine and Caring SciencesPsychologyFaculty of Arts and SciencesCenter for Social and Affective NeuroscienceEnheten för folkhälsa
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