Examining the roles of body image perception on the mental health of female athletes in highly aesthetic sports: A systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36950/2025.10ciss004Abstract
The aim of this systematic review was to examine the roles of body image perception and mental health in female athletes participating in aesthetic sports (e.g., dance, gymnastics, cheer). The parameters used to find the existing literature needed included studies that were: published in the year 2020 or after, contained female participants 12 years and older, focused on aesthetic sports, and were written in English. Thirteen articles were ultimately used in this systematic review, of which 62% of conveyed that negative body image perception was common across a variety of aesthetic sports and the athletes’ negative body image perception had a significant negative impact on mental health. Eating disorders were a common result of negative body image perception, as shown in 69% of the articles. Common themes of mental health and risks of eating disorders were identified including a hyperfocus on a thin physique, an association with anxiety or depression, and receiving critiques on their body from coaches, peers, family, and social media. Participants in aesthetic sports should be made aware of the association between body image and mental health. Coaches and athletes should collectively aim to emphasize the importance of training and performance rather than physique to help create a healthy environment for participants of aesthetic sports.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Caleb Martin, Linda Trang Nguyen, Ashley Williams, Jennifer Bunn

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