Assignment 1

INSTRUCTIONS

Please read carefully

In each Critique, I would like you to address the following points:

1. Is the proposal written so that it is clear and understandable to you?

· If so, what do you like most about the writing?

· If not, what aspects or specific passages are most confusing?

2. Do the research question(s) follow logically from the review of the literature? Please explain your reasoning.

3. How well do the research question(s) fit the 3 criteria we discussed for a good research question?

a. (1) Something that can be answered with research

b. (2) Something that is feasible given time and cost constraints

c. (3) Something that is ethical to research

4. Are the research type and methods well-suited to answering the research question? Why or why not?

5. Any other suggestions you have for your classmate to improve their proposal?

For each point, do not simply give a yes/no answer, but explain why you think that way.

Critique should be relatively brief, no more than 1 page in length.

PROPOSOL FOR CRITIQUE

Research Proposal: Weight Lifters and Self-Image

Introduction

Before I started weight lifting I was, like many other women, focused on meeting society’s expectations of looking a certain way without considering the physical and mental health risks. I have enjoyed weight lifting for about four years but I have to be extra aware of the effects weightlifting has as the mental toll of striving for perfection can be detrimental. As someone who focuses a lot on my own nutrition and exercise and have been fortunate enough to accompany my fitness journey with a mental health journey, I sometimes think, is extreme weightlifting just a fancy, acceptable form of an eating disorder or something similar? Specifically, what are the experiences of men who do not seek therapeutic help as often as women? Weightlifting might have a negative effect on their mental health, especially when considering society’s belief of what an attractive man looks like – muscular and strong.

Literature Review

Body image dissatisfaction has long been a concern and many studies work to understand the factors that might lead to eating disorders and how best to treat them. However, these studies often investigate well-known eating disorders, such as anorexia-nervosa and bulimia but neglect examining body image in men without eating disorders (Mangweth et al., 2001). Society’s view of men insists that they should look “manly” and “strong” while remaining unconcerned with how they look (Leone et al., 2005). This constructed idea indicates that men may not speak up about their unhealthy self-images. Researching this topic will allow a better understanding of how many men are struggling with an unhealthy body image, at what age they are most susceptible to body image dissatisfaction, and how likely it is they will seek help. This information obtained would also be helpful for coaches and athletic trainers. Trainers who are informed about this issue will become more aware of the chances their players are experiencing mental health difficulties and, as a result, treatment can be offered to those that need it (Leone et al., 2005).

Previous work done in this area analyze the criteria for muscle dysmorphia and characteristics of the disorder. A male’s extreme preoccupation with their level of muscularity, no matter how muscular they already are, is a cognitive indicator of muscle dysmorphia (Murray & Baghurst, 2013). An individual’s social life may also be affected by their obsession with self-image, which would also indicate the presence of muscle dysmorphia (Murray & Baghurst, 2013). For example, a person may constantly give up socializing with friends in order to maintain their workout regime and diet. In one study that consisted of a group of people with muscle dysmorphia and a control group, characteristics of muscle dysmorphia were explored. Those with muscle dysmorphia were significantly less satisfied with their appearance and more preoccupied with being overweight (Choi et al., 2002).

The information provided about the criteria and characteristics of body dysmorphia pave the way to exploring who might be susceptible to the disorder. Are male weight lifters in college more likely to have characteristics of muscle dysmorphia compared to those not in college? How likely is it for male weight trainers with an unhealthy self-image to seek mental health services? I hypothesize that male weight trainers are more likely to have an unhealthy self-image when they are attending college. Additionally, I predict that male weight lifters rarely seek therapy for body image dissatisfaction.

This study is a comparative, quantitative study as it aims to gain more information about characteristics of individuals and determine the frequency with which muscle dysmorphia occurs. Furthermore, this study will provide data on the frequency with which the participants would seek mental health services for self-image problems. Features of unhealthy body image relies on what is inside an individual’s mind and, as a result, the type of data needed is personal and psychological traits. Although psychological tests would be the best method for obtaining data on psychological traits, the data collection methods that will be utilized for this study is a survey/questionnaire because it is the most fitting for the available resources and time frame. A survey/questionnaire is the most practical solution for data gathering as it can be developed in a reasonable time, it is easy to administer, and will provide the data needed for comparison of two groups. The collection sites that are relevant to the kind of data I am seeking are locations where individuals work out because those locations will likely contain individuals who weight lift. My unit of analysis will be individuals and may change to groups as I analyze the data because grouping may become evident when I obtain data.

Methods

Participants

My intention is to collect data from thirty male participants that are enrolled in the University of Redlands and thirty male participants not enrolled in any college. The participants must be male weight lifters and attend the gym regularly, which indicates obtaining samples from gym locations. I contacted the gym I go to regularly and they notified me that I cannot distribute surveys to members; however, I am able to give surveys to the employees. Thus, I will be distributing surveys to male gym employees at multiple gym locations in Redlands and areas around town. I am also following many fitness influencers on social media who I will be contacting for participation in this study. Additionally, in order to obtain information from college students for a comparison group, I will be distributing surveys at the University of Redlands fitness center.

Procedures

I plan to distribute my survey/questionnaire in two ways: on my laptop or through email. This would give the participants the option to finish the survey right away or complete it later on. I will be approaching gym employees and students at the university’s fitness center. I will first introduce myself and briefly explain my research study. Then, I will ask if they identify as male and go to the gym regularly. If so, I will proceed by politely asking if they would fill out a survey/questionnaire to obtain data for my project. For those that do not choose to fill out the survey immediately, I will ask for their email so they can fill out the survey at a later time. The survey will consist of demographic information, questions about self-perception, and questions about seeking mental health services (Document A in Appendix).

Ethics

Given the nature of this project, ethical and legal considerations need to be accounted for as the study proceeds. First, all participants will be treated with respect. There will be an informed consent process that provides the participants information on the nature of the class and project, general topics covered on the survey, and their voluntary role in the study. The document (Document B in Appendix) will be distributed and signed before the participants begin the survey/questionnaire. Additionally, the informed consent form will contain a statement notifying the individuals that their identity and answers remain anonymous.

Analysis

I will be conducting a quantitative analysis of the questionnaires. Questions will vary and provide ordinal, interval, and categorical. After reviewing the data, I can describe what I found numerically and compare the percentages found for each group. For my main research question, my unit of observation is individuals and my unit of analysis will move to groups – college students and those who are not college students. This is the most appropriate approach because the surveys will be distributed to individuals but the comparison is based on groups. When determining likelihood of seeking services, my unit of observation and unit of analysis will both be individuals as my question focuses on individuals within both groups.

References

Choi, P.Y.L., Pope, H.G., & Olivardia, R. (2002). Muscle dysmorphia: a new syndrome in weightlifters. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 36 , 375-376.

Leone, J. E., Sedory, E. J., & Gray, K. A. (2005). Recognition and treatment of muscle dysmorphia and related body image disorders. Journal of athletic training, 40(4), 352–359.

Mangweth, B., Pope, H. G., Kemmler, G., Ebenbichler, C., Hausmann, A., De Col, C., Kreutner, B., Kinzl, J., & Biebl, W. (2001). Body image and psychopathology in male bodybuilders. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 70(1), 38–43.

Murray, S. B. & Baghurst, T. (2013). Revisiting the diagnostic criteria for muscle dysmorphia, strength and conditioning journal, 35(1), 69-74.

Spickard, J. V. (2017). Research basics: Design to data analysis in six steps. SAGE.

Appendix

Document A

1. I am currently enrolled in an in-person college or university.

· Yes/No

2. How many days a week do you go to the gym?

· 1-2 days a week, 3-4 days a week, 5-6 days a week, 7 days a week

3. I would describe my physique as…

· Excellent, good, fair, poor

4. I spend a lot of time worrying about what other people think about my appearance.

· Yes/No

5. I spend this many hours a day thinking about nutrition, working out, and/or body image.

· 0-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9+

6. I dislike my appearance more than I like my appearance.

· Yes/No

7. Rate how important it is for you to have a muscular figure. (1 being not important at all and 5 being very important)

· 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

8. How important is your appearance in how you evaluate your self-worth? (1 being not important at all and 5 being very important)

· 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

9. Have you seen a mental health specialist for body image concerns before?

· Yes/No

10. Would you consider seeing a mental health specialist if you were experiencing body image issues that were affecting your life?

· Yes/No

Link for questionnaire: https://xirtnzxzyq5.typeform.com/to/Dw6G17eF

Document B

CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE

___________________________(student name) has approached me, __________________________ (participant name), to participate as part of the student’s class projects for the course Research and Evaluation (CMHC640) at the University of Redlands, under the direction of Professor John Carter. My participation in this project will involve answering brief survey-type questions. The topics covered will include basic demographic information and questions pertaining to personal and psychological factors.

All data collected by the student is only for the purposes of demonstrating research methods for course instructional purposes. I understand that neither my name nor any uniquely identifying information will be tied to my responses, and that these data will never be presented in any professional or scientific format outside of the classroom.

I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I am free to quit at any time. The research should be low-impact in nature, and is not expected to lead to any significant harm nor benefit to myself.

___ I understand the above conditions and wish to participate in this student’s project.

___ I do NOT wish to participate.

Signed: __________________________________________ Date: _________

YOU ARE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE A COPY OF THIS SIGNED CONSENT