Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Roles Of Exercise Habits, Gender Stereotype Of Exercise, And Self-Esteem In Sexual Victimization, Nicole Rene Harder

Theses and Dissertations

Anecdotal evidence suggests that women who exercise regularly increase not only their physical strength but also their mental strength, which has been conceptualized as self-confidence, assertiveness, and self-esteem. Empirical investigation into this area of research, however, is scarce. One study found that self-reported victimization rates of female athletes were significantly lower when compared with another study's female non-athlete sample. More recently, research found significant differences in levels of self-esteem and sexual victimization rates between female collegiate varsity athletes and the general female college population. The current study is a subsequent analysis of the data used in the aforementioned study.

Data …