Physical self-concept and body dissatisfaction among Special Olympics athletes: A comparison between sex, weight status, and culture.
Among Special Olympics athletes with ID, females, overweight individuals, and Asian athletes report poorer physical self-concept and higher body dissatisfaction.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Cheng-Chen et al. (2018) asked Special Olympics athletes with intellectual disability about their bodies. They used a short paper survey that measures how people feel about their looks, strength, and sport skills.
The team compared answers by sex, weight group, and culture. They talked to athletes in North America and in Asia.
What they found
Males, non-overweight athletes, and North-American athletes gave the most positive scores. Females, overweight athletes, and Asian athletes reported lower physical self-concept and higher body dissatisfaction.
The study is descriptive; it shows differences but does not test why they happen.
How this fits with other research
Rotta et al. (2020) scoured 95 behavior-analytic sports papers and found only five that included athletes with developmental disabilities. Cheng-Chen’s work helps fill that gap by focusing squarely on these athletes’ own views.
Gandhi et al. (2022) surveyed adults with ID and showed most are far less active than the general public. Cheng-Chen’s findings add a self-concept lens: athletes who feel worse about their bodies may be the same ones who avoid activity.
Hughes (2025) interviewed LGBTQ+ adults with IDD and found acceptance and community ties shape identity. The pattern echoes here: culture and social setting again predict how people with ID feel about themselves.
Why it matters
If your client with ID voices shame about weight or looks, know they are not alone. Use praise that targets what their body can do, not how it looks. Schedule activities where females, heavier athletes, or culturally diverse athletes can shine. Simple affirmations like “Your sprint time improved” build physical self-concept and may keep them coming back to sport or exercise.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Little research has looked at the associations between sex, weight status and culture, and the physical self-perceptions and body dissatisfaction of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) involved in Special Olympics (SO) sports. AIMS: To examine sex- (male vs female), weight status- (non-overweight/obese vs. overweight/obese), and culture-based (North American vs. Asian) differences in physical self-concept and body dissatisfaction among SO athletes. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A total of 139 SO athletes (aged 12-30 years) with ID participated in this study and completed measures of physical self-perceptions and body dissatisfaction. Differences according to sex, weight status, culture, and their interactions were examined. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Males SO athletes presented higher levels of self-perceived physical strength and ideal body shape than females. Additionally, non-overweight/obese SO athletes presented higher levels of self-perceived physical appearance and physical condition than their overweight/obese counterparts, as well as lower actual body shape perceptions and body dissatisfaction. Moreover, North-American SO athletes presented higher levels of self-perceived physical appearance and sport competence than their Asians counterparts, as well as lower actual body shapes perceptions and body dissatisfaction. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: This study reveals substantial sex-, weight status-, and culture-based differences in the physical self-concept and body dissatisfaction of SO athletes.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2018 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2018.02.013