An Effect of Attitude toward Body Image of Adolescent Dance Majors upon Their Weight Control Behavior and Eating Disorder

Background/Objectives: The present study was aimed to examine an effect of attitude towards body's image of dance major female students upon their weight control behavior and eating disorder. Methods/Statistical Analysis: This study carried out a survey with 415 students attending arts high schools located in 3 Daejeon, Chungnam, and Chungbuk regions. Questionnaire was employed as survey instrument and the collected data were analyzed for one-way analysis of variance, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and path analysis. Findings: First, eating disorder was significantly different by school year and major. Second, weight control behavior revealed that interest in weight has impact on dietary therapy, drug therapy, and exercise therapy. Third, eating behavior found that interest in weight has impact on anxiety over weight, anorectic behavior, and consciousness in others while interest in physical attractiveness has impact on absorption in food, anorectic behavior, and consciousness in others. Fourth, eating disorder demonstrated that dietary therapy has impact on anxiety over weight and anxiety over food while drug therapy has impact on anxiety over weight, anxiety over food, anorectic behavior, and consciousness in others. Fifth, there was causal relationship between the attitude toward body image perceived by the dance major female students mediates and their weight control behavior and eating. Application/Improvements: The dancer's qualifications (physical form, dance tendency and parent's support) and teaching methodology that dance educators and teachers pursue for dance major students have a considerably important influence over the students.