Female physical education (PE) students consistently report lower physical self-concepts than males, and research has established that self-concept development is related to both internal and external factors. The PE environment provides a unique setting to examine physical self-concept and frame of reference, therefore, the purpose of this study was to provide in-depth descriptions of female students’ personal interpretations of physical self-concept, frame of reference, and the PE environment.
Method:
A phenomenological approach was employed in this study. Field observations and one-on-one interviews took place at an all-girls private high school in the Southeastern United States. Field observations (N=30) were conducted during PE classes (50 minutes) and rich descriptions of the PE environment were recorded in detail. Girls (N=12) were then selected to participate in interviews based on PSDQ-S scores (M=4.01, SD=1.54). Purposeful sampling took place in order to select a wide range of scores (1.00-5.67) on the global physical self-concept scale.
Analysis/Results:
Field notes and interview transcriptions were analyzed line-by-line. An inductive analysis approach was used to identify categories, sub-themes, and higher-order themes. Interviews, field notes, and member checks were then used to triangulate the data and reduce researcher bias.
Three major themes developed from data analysis: (a) Social Risk, (b) A Favorable Competitive Environment, and (c) Points of Perception. Multiple aspects of Social Risk in coed PE were identified, specifically anxiety and perceived pressures regarding physical ability and appearance. Same-sex PE was perceived to negate these concerns and was viewed as a positive alternative for the girls in this study. Competition was frequently discussed and while participants enjoyed and valued competition, they considered it to be activity dependent, unpleasant in certain circumstances, and desirable only in appropriate amounts. Finally, “firsthand accounts” and “external feedback” were discussed as Points of Perception, which provided a basis for physical self-concept development.
Conclusions:
This study makes a significant contribution to existing literature by highlighting current issues experienced by girls in coed and same-sex physical education. All participants viewed same-sex classes as a solution to their concerns regarding physical ability, physical appearance, and competition that they had previously experienced in coed PE. In addition, results indicate that female PE students use multiple sources of information to construct their physical self-perceptions of ability and appearance. These results have direct pedagogical implications for physical educators in both coed and same-sex PE classes.