The roles of body image, drive for muscularity, and spiritual well-being in the relationship between disordered eating and exercise addiction among sports science students: a moderated model
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study aims to evaluate the roles of drive for muscularity, body image perception, and spiritual well-being in the relationship between exercise addiction and disordered eating. The research was designed as a cross-sectional study and included 408 students enrolled in the Faculty of Sport Sciences at various public universities in Türkiye. Data were collected using a socio-demographic information form, the Eating Behavior Disorder Scale, the Drive for Muscularity Scale, the Exercise Addiction Scale, the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, and the Body Image Scale. The findings revealed that exercise addiction is linked to disordered eating through the mediating role of the drive for muscularity. This indirect relationship changes depending on levels of body image and spiritual well-being. Specifically, the effect of the drive for muscularity on disordered eating was strongest among individuals with low body image and low spiritual well-being. In contrast, when body image was at low or moderate levels and spiritual well-being was high, this effect was no longer significant. The findings indicate that negative body image and spiritual well-being are key correlates of disordered eating and exercise habits. In addition, these findings emphasize the importance of maintaining psychological and physical balance, particularly in sports science students who are under high pressure in terms of athletic performance. This study examined the links between exercise addiction, body image, drive for muscularity, spiritual well-being, and disordered eating among sports science students. The findings showed that exercise addiction was associated with disordered eating, mainly through the strong desire to build muscle. This association was stronger in students with a negative body image and low spiritual well-being. However, when spiritual well-being was high, the connection between the drive for muscularity and unhealthy eating behaviors was no longer significant. These results suggest that body image and spiritual well-being play important roles in how exercise addiction and the drive for muscularity relate to eating behaviors. Supporting both the psychological and spiritual well-being of sports science students may help reduce risks related to unhealthy exercise and eating patterns.
Source: Journal of Eating Disorders
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,190
OpenAlex ID: W4415658727