The relationship between body image, physical self-efficacy and motor abilities in children

Body image is viewed as the picture people have in their minds of the size, shape and form of their bodies, together the feelings concerning these characteristics and body parts . Rucker and Cash maintained that body image construct includes at least two components: a) the perceptual component (i.e., estimation of one’s body size) and the attitudinal/subjective component (i.e., affective, cognitive, and behavioral concerns with one’s body size). In bodily self-perception, therefore, besides anatomical and physiological aspects, cognitive and emotional components influence subjective experience. Slade suggested a general model of body image with at last seven sets of factors influencing the mental representation of the body. Divergent ways of defining samples and the use of differing body image measurements have contributed to difficulties in interpretation, and in the generalization of body image methodology. Besides, studies on body image have mainly been carried on adults, despite developmental theorists have focused on the importance of childhood and adolescence as a critical time period during which the development of body image occurs. Although the frequency of body image dissatisfaction increases following puberty, there is increasing evidence that in many pre-pubescent children, particularly girls, body dissatisfaction is high, and correlated with unhealthy weight control behaviors, and with depressive symptoms. These results indicate that body image is an important construct involved in psychosocial and behavioral health. Thus, a good understanding of body image perceptions and dissatisfaction in pre-pubescent children is required. In the motor and sport domain, the confidence a subject places on his own capacities is one of the most important factors affecting performance. Self-efficacy is conceptualized by Bandura as “the belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the sources of action required to manage prospective situations”. Beliefs in personal efficacy affect life choices, level of motivation, quality of functioning, resilience to adversity and vulnerability to stress and depression. People evaluate, elaborate, and integrate information inherent to their own abilities from different sources (mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasion, somatic and emotional states) and feel, think, motivate themselves and behave accordingly. Self-efficacy regarding motor activities has been widely verified and represents a frame of reference to explain links between cognitive processes and physical performance ]. The aim of the present study was to analyse the relationship among body image, physical self-efficacy and motor abilities in 160 subjects aged 8 and 10 years (40 males and 40 females of each age), and to check possible differences by gender and age.