NCAA Division I Head Coaches' Experiences with Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating in Female Athletes: A Qualitative Analysis

<p> In today's sport, NCAA Division I female athletes are under a constant pressure to reach an elite level of perfection in athletic performance, frequently adhering to the assumption that there is an inverse relationship between body size and performance level (Petrie & Sherman, 2007). Additionally, coaches have unrealistic expectations about weight and body image, which adds pressure on athletes to conform to certain weight or image driven standards. Perceptions that coaches hold about eating disorders and disordered eating present a set of risk factors that may increase the likelihood of female athletes developing maladaptive eating patterns (Scoffier, Maiano, & d'Arripe-Longueville, 2010). Thus, the purpose of the present study is to use a qualitative approach to assess the experiences, knowledge, and education that coaches at the NCAA Division I level possess about eating disorders and disordered eating in female athletes. Creating alternative and better intervention techniques for disordered eating and eating disorders in female athletes will be discussed.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Kinesiology (M.S.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Health and Kinesiology

Year dc:date.available

2013

Author dc:creator

• Pecinovsky, Caitlyn

Contributors dc:contributor

• Brandonn Harris
• Trey Burdette

• ETD
• NCAA Division I head coaches
• Eating disorders
• Disordered eating
• Female athletes
• Risk factors
• Kinesiology
• Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases
• Sports Studies

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/43

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1042