Body Satisfaction and Disordered Eating Among Black Men Collegiate Athletes: What Are the Roles of Resilience, Self-Compassion, and Social Support?

Athletes feel pressure to conform to body ideals (e.g., lean/muscular) that can contribute to decreased body satisfaction (BS) and increased disordered eating (DE; e.g., restriction). DE research with Black men athletes, especially how psychosocial resources (e.g., self-compassion [SC]) may relate to reduced risk, has been limited. Therefore, we sought to close this gap. Among 373 Black men collegiate athletes, we documented BS and DE prevalence and determined the relationships among psychosocial resources (i.e., SC, social support [SS], and resilience) and BS and DE. Across five BS dimensions (e.g., weight and thinness), 61% to 71% reported being satisfied; prevalence was highest for body muscularity, though thinness, size/shape, and weight were the strongest predictors of DE. Further, higher levels of SC, SS, and resilience related significantly to BS. Only SC, SS, and BS had direct relationships to lower DE, though all resources related indirectly through athletes’ BS. Black men athletes’ BS is not uniform, though enhancing their self-compassion, support, and resilience may help them feel more satisfied overall and, ultimately, relate to food and eating in healthier ways.