Self and Identity · 2009 · 182 citations · 68 references
Social SciencesPsychologySocial PsychologyExercise PsychologyHealth PsychologyPhysical ActivityMotivationSelf-esteemPsychological Benefits Of Exercise
Self‑compassion is emerging as a healthy conceptualization of the self. This study explored how self‑compassion relates to and explains unique variance beyond self‑esteem on women’s motives to exercise and exercise‑related outcomes. The study surveyed 252 exercising women. Self‑compassion was positively related to intrinsic motivation and negatively related to external and introjected motivation, ego goal orientation, social physique anxiety, and obligatory exercise behavior, and it contributed unique variance beyond self‑esteem on introjected motivation, ego goal orientation, social physique anxiety, and obligatory exercise, indicating that self‑compassion is linked to well‑being in the exercise context.
Self-compassion is emerging in the literature as a healthy conceptualization of the self (Neff, Citation2003a). This study explored how self-compassion is related to, and explains unique variance beyond self-esteem on, women's motives to exercise and exercise-related outcomes. Participants were 252 women exercisers. Self-compassion was positively related to intrinsic motivation and negatively related to external and introjected motivation, ego goal orientation, social physique anxiety, and obligatory exercise behavior. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that self-compassion contributed unique variance beyond self-esteem on introjected motivation, ego goal orientation, social physique anxiety, and obligatory exercise. This study provides evidence that self-compassion is related to well-being in the exercise context, raising the possibility that the development of self-compassion may be important for women who exercise.
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