Comprehensive Psychiatry
Volume 47, Issue 2 , Pages 127-135, March 2006

Presence of muscle dysmorphia symptomology among male weightlifters☆

  • Tom Hildebrandt

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychiatry, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author.
    • ,
  • David Schlundt

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychology Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 77203, USA
    • ,
  • James Langenbucher

      Affiliations

    • Center for Alcohol Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08554, USA
    • ,
  • Tammy Chung

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA

Abstract 

Limited research exists on muscle dysmorphia (MD) in men and in nonclinical populations. The current study evaluated types of body image disturbance among 237 male weightlifters. Latent class analysis of 8 measures of body image disturbance revealed 5 independent types of respondents: Dysmorphic, Muscle Concerned, Fat Concerned, Normal Behavioral, and Normal. One-way analysis of variance of independent measures of body image disturbance and associated psychopathology confirmed significant differences between groups. The Dysmorphic group reported a pattern of body image disturbance consistent with MD by displaying a high overall level of body image disturbance, symptoms of associated psychopathology, steroid use, and appearance-controlling behavior. Findings generally supported classifying MD as a subtype of body dysmorphic disorder and an obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder. Implications for studying body image disturbance in male weightlifters, and further evaluation of the MD diagnostic criteria are discussed.

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☆ This data set also appears in Hildebrandt et al (Body Image 2004;2:169-81) in conjunction with 2 other studies supporting reliability and validity of the Bodybuilder Image Grid and Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory.

PII: S0010-440X(05)00073-8

doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2005.06.001

Comprehensive Psychiatry
Volume 47, Issue 2 , Pages 127-135, March 2006

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