Running Head:Perfectionism and Orthorexia Nervosa in Turkish Female Athletes 1
Identification of the Relationship Between Perfectionistic Behaviours and Orthorexia Nervosa in Female Turkish Athletes
Gurur Erdiren
Author Note*
Gurur Erdiren, Yeditepe University, Department of Psychology
Running Head:Perfectionism and Orthorexia Nervosa in Turkish Female Athletes 2
Abstract
The proposed research is designed to find the relationship between perfectionism and orthorexia nervosa in female Turkish athletes. In literature, there are major deficits in terms of the connection between orthorexia nervosa (ON) and perfectionism in athletes. Since orthorexics demonstrate perfectionistic traits, the eating behaviours of athletes may be associated with perfectionism. The purpose of the present study is to investigate (a) the frequency of ON in Turkish female athletes, (b) how ON has association with perfectionism in female athletes, (c) what are the possible outcomes of ON in terms of eating disorder psychopathology and its association with perfectionism. 250 female athletes between 16-45 ages and sample size matched healthy control groups will be recruited from website and newspapers by advertising. The interview will be done shortly under the supervision of clinician and psychologist to understand their compatibility for the research. Data will be collected according to the given answers of several questionnaire. Later, data will be analysed using up to date IBM SPSS statistical analysis program by using descriptive statistics, regression and correlation analysis. In this research, it was expected to find that (i) Turkish female athletes demonstrate high level of ON, (ii) perfectionism and its forms have association with ON and (iii) female athletes have more tendency to have eating disorders via ON comparison to healthy controls. The proposed research will compensate the unknown knowledge in literature.
Introduction
The risk of eating disorders in athletes have long been dealing with sports may be higher than the remaining population, since their body shape and mass have a crucial meaning for them (Sundgot-Borgen & Torsveit, 2004). It has been suggested that there is more relevant relationship between self-critical perfectionism and eating psychopathology in female athletes because of their critical personality disposition and self-evaluation (Shanmugam & Davies, 2015). The main feature of perfectionism is to set high and remarkable unrealistic standards for individual’s performance (Dunn & Gotwals, 2005). Egan, Pick & Dyck (2015) demonstrated that athletes have higher achievement strivings and competence, although they had equal level of positive perfectionism.
The Relationship Between Perfectionism and Orthorexia Nervosa in Female Turkish Athletes 3
Additionally, higher negative perfectionism has been linked to lower agreeableness and elevated
competitive behaviours. These findings have been compatible in the research suggesting the higher
relationship among perfectionism and low agreeableness in couples (Egan, Vinciguerra &
Mazzuchelli, 2015). However, athletes demonstrating performance less than perfect and do not
experiencing higher level of negative reactions showed adaptive form of perfectionism (Stoeber,
Stoll & Otto, 2008). Therefore, multidimensional perfectionism and its associated behaviours may
be applied athletes.
Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) is different behavioural pattern which implicates the pathological obsession to proper nutrition. People demonstrating ON restrict their diets, avoid rigidly from foods that they think unhealthy which leads crucial outcomes on their life such as nutritional deficiencies and reduction in life qualities. ON shares similar symptoms with anorexia nervosa (AN) where in both people shows perfectionistic behaviors (Koven & Abry, 2015). Orthorexics are achievement oriented individuals and their perfectionistic behaviours may appear when rigid dietary habits and obsession to high quality foods have been taken into consideration. In athletes, eating disorders (EDs) and its associated psychopathology has been linked to body dissatisfaction or having a thin body. Hence, female athletes shows more tendency to have EDs comparison to male athletes (Haase, 2011). ON individuals have shown to premorbid symptoms in the occurance of real EDs (Kummer, Dias & Teixieira, 2008) However, in literature, there is no research demonstrating possible outcomes of ON and perfectionism in female athletes, and these situation remains obscure.
In order to investigate how ON behaviours have been linked to perfectionistic behaviours, it was aimed to find that (a) how frequently ON has been observed in female Turkish athletes and (b) what are the relationships between multidimensional perfectionism and ON. We hypothesized that ON has been regularly observed in Turkish female athletes in their physical activity since ON symptoms have been demonstrated in fitness activities (Erikkson, Baigi & Marklun, 2008).
Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) is different behavioural pattern which implicates the pathological obsession to proper nutrition. People demonstrating ON restrict their diets, avoid rigidly from foods that they think unhealthy which leads crucial outcomes on their life such as nutritional deficiencies and reduction in life qualities. ON shares similar symptoms with anorexia nervosa (AN) where in both people shows perfectionistic behaviors (Koven & Abry, 2015). Orthorexics are achievement oriented individuals and their perfectionistic behaviours may appear when rigid dietary habits and obsession to high quality foods have been taken into consideration. In athletes, eating disorders (EDs) and its associated psychopathology has been linked to body dissatisfaction or having a thin body. Hence, female athletes shows more tendency to have EDs comparison to male athletes (Haase, 2011). ON individuals have shown to premorbid symptoms in the occurance of real EDs (Kummer, Dias & Teixieira, 2008) However, in literature, there is no research demonstrating possible outcomes of ON and perfectionism in female athletes, and these situation remains obscure.
In order to investigate how ON behaviours have been linked to perfectionistic behaviours, it was aimed to find that (a) how frequently ON has been observed in female Turkish athletes and (b) what are the relationships between multidimensional perfectionism and ON. We hypothesized that ON has been regularly observed in Turkish female athletes in their physical activity since ON symptoms have been demonstrated in fitness activities (Erikkson, Baigi & Marklun, 2008).
The Relationship Between Perfectionism and Orthorexia Nervosa in Female Turkish Athletes 4
Methodology
Recruitment of participants
Female athletes performing competitive and robust fitness activity but not having been recently diagnosed with psychiatric disorders will be recruited by giving an advertise from the websites and newspapers. Sedentary female control groups who do not involve in sports will be recruited from undergraduate students in Yeditepe University. People having been diagnosed with psychiatric disorders and age under 16 or over 45 is excluded in this study since they do not fit the criteria in literature. Total sample size (N=500) will be consisting of 250 female athletes and 250 control groups between 16 and 45 ages.
Procedure
After participants had been recruited, a short interview will be done under the psychologist and clinician in order to observe they are eligible for this research. Questionnaires will be subjected to the eligible participants. According to the results, female athletes having ON and/or perfectionism will be compared internally and also with the healthy subjects. Later, data will be analysed using statistical tools.
Anthropometric Assesment
Body Mass Index (BMI) will be measured by using height and weight so as to determine underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese participants. Height and weight measures will be done by using stadiometer with balance scale.
Evaluation of Orthorexia Nervosa
In order to identify ON participants, a scale used to diagnose ON, ORTO-15, will be used for evaluation. Ortorexic tendency has been reflected in ORTO-15 by the 15 items by scoring 1 to 4 for measurement (1= ortorexic eating behaviour, 4= normal eating behaviour). In order to guarantee high specificity of ON, cut off value for the scale would be set to <35.
Female athletes performing competitive and robust fitness activity but not having been recently diagnosed with psychiatric disorders will be recruited by giving an advertise from the websites and newspapers. Sedentary female control groups who do not involve in sports will be recruited from undergraduate students in Yeditepe University. People having been diagnosed with psychiatric disorders and age under 16 or over 45 is excluded in this study since they do not fit the criteria in literature. Total sample size (N=500) will be consisting of 250 female athletes and 250 control groups between 16 and 45 ages.
Procedure
After participants had been recruited, a short interview will be done under the psychologist and clinician in order to observe they are eligible for this research. Questionnaires will be subjected to the eligible participants. According to the results, female athletes having ON and/or perfectionism will be compared internally and also with the healthy subjects. Later, data will be analysed using statistical tools.
Anthropometric Assesment
Body Mass Index (BMI) will be measured by using height and weight so as to determine underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese participants. Height and weight measures will be done by using stadiometer with balance scale.
Evaluation of Orthorexia Nervosa
In order to identify ON participants, a scale used to diagnose ON, ORTO-15, will be used for evaluation. Ortorexic tendency has been reflected in ORTO-15 by the 15 items by scoring 1 to 4 for measurement (1= ortorexic eating behaviour, 4= normal eating behaviour). In order to guarantee high specificity of ON, cut off value for the scale would be set to <35.
The Relationship Between Perfectionism and Orthorexia Nervosa in Female Turkish Athletes 5
Evaluation of Perfectionism
To measure perfectionistic strivings and outcomes in female athletes in competitions, Multidimensional Inventory of Perfectionism in Sports (MIPS; Stöber, Otto, & Stoll, 2004) will be used. Basicly, items are asking to the participants, reflection of their feeling both during trainings and competitions. Cronbach’s alpha will be measured to assess internal reliability. The Positive and Negative Perfectionism Scale (PANPS, Terry-Short et al, 1995) will be used to assess positive and negative perfectionism in female control groups and female athletes.
Evaluation of Eating Disorders
In order to demonstrate relationship between ON and EDs, both groups will be subjected to Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ-6.0; Fairburn & Beglin, 2008).These scale has been used to investigate eating psychopathology and attitudes in athletes and can also be applied healthy controls.
Results: Proposed Data Analysis
At the beginning of the research, for the questionnaires, Cronbach’s alpha will be computed to understand internal reliability to the given answers as a preliminary analysis and to observe measures are relevant for further statistical tests. Data will be analysed using SPSS statistical analysis program. Descriptive statistics will be done to understand distribution of data. To assess the level difference between ON and perfectionism in controls and athletes, non-parametric Mann- Whitney U test will be conducted. In order to predict the ON associated symptoms has been linked to personal standards and negative form of perfectionism, regression analysis will be done. Later on, correlation analysis will be conducted among athletes and control groups to investigate how ON contributes EDs and perfectionism. The expected results are (i) female athletes demonstrate higher level of ON, (ii) ON level has positive correlation with the negative form of perfectionism and its associated behaviours such as achievement strivings or competition, (iii) orthorexic female athletes have more tendency developing eating disorder psychopathology
Evaluation of Perfectionism
To measure perfectionistic strivings and outcomes in female athletes in competitions, Multidimensional Inventory of Perfectionism in Sports (MIPS; Stöber, Otto, & Stoll, 2004) will be used. Basicly, items are asking to the participants, reflection of their feeling both during trainings and competitions. Cronbach’s alpha will be measured to assess internal reliability. The Positive and Negative Perfectionism Scale (PANPS, Terry-Short et al, 1995) will be used to assess positive and negative perfectionism in female control groups and female athletes.
Evaluation of Eating Disorders
In order to demonstrate relationship between ON and EDs, both groups will be subjected to Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ-6.0; Fairburn & Beglin, 2008).These scale has been used to investigate eating psychopathology and attitudes in athletes and can also be applied healthy controls.
Results: Proposed Data Analysis
At the beginning of the research, for the questionnaires, Cronbach’s alpha will be computed to understand internal reliability to the given answers as a preliminary analysis and to observe measures are relevant for further statistical tests. Data will be analysed using SPSS statistical analysis program. Descriptive statistics will be done to understand distribution of data. To assess the level difference between ON and perfectionism in controls and athletes, non-parametric Mann- Whitney U test will be conducted. In order to predict the ON associated symptoms has been linked to personal standards and negative form of perfectionism, regression analysis will be done. Later on, correlation analysis will be conducted among athletes and control groups to investigate how ON contributes EDs and perfectionism. The expected results are (i) female athletes demonstrate higher level of ON, (ii) ON level has positive correlation with the negative form of perfectionism and its associated behaviours such as achievement strivings or competition, (iii) orthorexic female athletes have more tendency developing eating disorder psychopathology
The Relationship Between Perfectionism and Orthorexia Nervosa in Female Turkish Athletes 6 By means of these work, it will be found out how the nature and forms of perfectionism
may play role in ON and EDs psychopathology.
References
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