title: Moderators of the association between exercise identity and obligatory exercise among participants of an athletic event.
abstract: Previous research has connected exercise identity with obligatory exercise, yet to date no empirical studies have identified moderator variables of this association. The current study included participants of an athletic event (full marathon, n=582; half marathon, n=1,106; shorter distance, n=733) who completed questionnaires about exercise behaviors, obligatory exercise, and internalization of both the thin-ideal and athletic-ideal body shapes. General linear model analyses were conducted to examine the exercise identity-obligatory exercise relationship; moderator variables included gender, internalization of the thin-ideal body shape, and internalization of the athletic-ideal body shape. After controlling for the effects of body mass index, age, and distance group, the three-way interaction of exercise identity, gender, and internalization of the athletic-ideal body shape predicted obligatory exercise. Findings suggest that women who report high identification with exercise and high value on having an athletic physique may be vulnerable to obligatory exercise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Winona, MN, USA. dunkeltr@gmail.com
authors.forename: Trisha M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Karr
authors.forename: Christie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zunker
authors.forename: Ron A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Roberta T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Ross D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Crosby
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D057215:Body Dysmorphic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D049628:Body Size; D003192:Compulsive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States; D009042:Motivation; D012420:Running / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013851:Thinness / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult