Men and Muscles: Self-esteem and body dissatisfaction in the drive for muscularity among Jamaican weight lifters

This study examined a model of the associations among self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, and the drive for muscularity among Jamaican male weight lifters, and compared model relationships between weight lifters from rural and urban areas of residence. Using a purposive sampling approach, cross-sectional data were collected from 225 male weight lifters, ages 18–67 years (M = 28.16, SD = 9.52), from gyms in rural and urban areas of Jamaica. Participants completed the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSE), the Body Areas Satisfaction Scale (BASS), and the Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS). Results from path analysis indicated that self-esteem exerted a negative direct effect on body dissatisfaction (β = -0.32, p <.001). The direct effect of self-esteem on the drive for muscularity was negative and non-significant (β= -0.10, p =.172), however, body dissatisfaction exerted a positive direct effect on the drive for muscularity (β = 0.27, p =.001). Self-esteem exerted a negative indirect effect on the drive for muscularity through body dissatisfaction (β = -0.09, 95% CI [−0.16, −0.03]). Model relationships remained similar across both rural and urban weight lifting subgroups. These results highlight self-esteem and body dissatisfaction as contributors to the drive for muscularity among Jamaican male weight lifters, with the role of self-esteem being primarily indirect by way of body dissatisfaction.