Female Athlete Body Project Intervention with Professional Dancers: A Pilot Trial

Sasha Gorrell, Katherine Schaumberg, James F Boswell, Julia M Hormes, Drew A Anderson, Sasha Gorrell, Katherine Schaumberg, James F Boswell, Julia M Hormes, Drew A Anderson

Abstract

As aesthetic athletes, professional dancers have increased vulnerability for eating disorders (EDs), with three times higher risk than non-dancers. Among ballet dancers, generalized risk for EDs associated with internalization of western cultural female beauty ideals is compounded by idealization of a ballet-specific body ideal, a combination that confers unique vulnerability for eating pathology. Empirical support has been established for an athlete-specific intervention promoting body acceptance and reduced eating pathology among general populations of young-adult women and female collegiate athletes; the current study adapted this intervention for pilot implementation among professional ballet dancers. Participants from two elite ballet companies (N = 19) were randomized to a control and intervention condition. All participants self-reported eating pathology and related variables pre- and post-intervention, and at six-week follow-up. Post-intervention, participants receiving the intervention demonstrated reductions in body dissatisfaction, p = .005, r = -.63, dietary restraint, p = .008, r = -.59, and eating pathology, p = .007, r = -.60, as compared to control group counterparts; significant differences were retained at follow-up. Results provide preliminary evidence that this intervention has the potential to provide a feasible and acceptable means of ED prevention in female professional ballet dancers. Barriers to feasibility are identified and discussed.

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations of interest: none.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
CONSORT Flow Diagram
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Median Values for Variables of Interest Relative to Company Note. T1 = pre-intervention; T2 = post-intervention; EDE-Qavg = Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire – average global scores; EDE-Qbd = Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire – Body Dissatisfaction subscale scores; DRES = Restrained Eating Scale scores

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Source: PubMed

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