Abstract
Understanding self-perceptions in young women is important, especially given their relationship to a variety of health-related behaviours and emotions. This study explored, in a sample of 501 adolescent women over a three year time period, whether the changes in social physique anxiety (SPA), body mass index (BMI), and self-perceptions of sport competence (COMP) and strength (STRENGTH) were related. The predictability of initial status and rate of change in each variable by the other variables was also examined. It was intended to also consider physical activity, but modeling was not viable, possibly due to the random nature of the data. This study involved a reanalysis of previously published data (Crocker et al., 2006) using latent growth curve modeling. Participants with a higher starting score in SPA, COMP, and STRENGTH had a lower rate of change. All latent growth curves were estimated simultaneously in one comprehensive model to test the relation between the change trajectories. Model fit was supported by RMSEA (.088), TLI (.96), CFI (.98), and SRMR (.02), with a variety of significant relations among initial status and rate of change in the variables. For example, rate of change in SPA was negatively related to the rate of change in COMP (-.32) and STRENGTH (-.37) and positively related to initial status of STRENGTH (.18). Rate of change in BMI and SPA were not related. In multiple predictor models, indicators showed little predictive ability beyond simple models.Acknowledgments: This research was supported by SSHRC.