Master of Science, Miami University, 2007, Physical Education, Health, and Sport Studies

The primary purpose of this study was to compare female athletes and non-athletes from both single-sex and coeducational school on three aspects of their psychosocial status: self-perceptions, body image, and gender-related cognitive schemata. Results showed that girls from coeducational school had overall higher self-perceptions than did girls from single-sex schools. Single-sex school girls exhibited more social physique anxiety than did coeducational girls and study participants as a group were more apt to use body competence to determine body image as compared to body appearance. Single-sex school girls and athletes were less gender stereotyped than were coeducational girls and non-athletes respectively. The current study addresses differences between school type and adds a new knowledge base to the somewhat dated research in the educational field. Additionally, this study examines a comparison between athletes and non-athletes on their body image (and body image orientation) and gender-related cognitive schema patterns using the newer constructivist approach.

Committee: Thelma Horn (Advisor) Subjects: