The female athlete psychology resource page has been developed to support female athletes, and those who work with female athletes, by providing helpful information, guidance, and resources. The topics covered in this resource include mental health, body image, and leadership. This page was developed by Mhairi McGregor, a trainee Sport and Exercise Psychologist studying a Doctorate at Glasgow Caledonian University. Mhairi was brought in as a consultant and completing this project has contributed to her degree.

Please note, this webpage is designed as guidance and if you need of urgent help or medical advice for yourself or someone else, please contact 999 or the Samaritans on 116 123. If you are looking for medical advice, contact your GP or 111.

Add Your Heading Text Here

Body image is a term that is used to describe how individuals think and feel about their bodies. The thoughts and feelings could about how an individual views their own body, how satisfied they are with their body, and how much they value people’s thoughts and opinions about their own body. A poor body image would refer to when an individual’s thoughts and feelings centre around being unsatisfied with their body and its appearance [1]. Societal notions around what the “female athlete body” should look like are typically generated due to stereotyping and lack of understanding. The societal pressure to look a certain way can be heightened by social media. Social media can be a positive place to source sponsorship opportunities and showcase an athlete’s journey; however, social media can be a source of unwanted comments and societal pressure in relation to an athlete’s body image [2]. 

  1. Mental Health Foundation: MHF (n.d.) Body image report. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/research/body-image-how-we-think-and-feel-about-our-bodies/body-image-report-introduction.
  2. Stoyel, H., Delderfield, R., Shanmuganathan-Felton, V., Stoyle, A., & Serpell, L. (2021). Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.633490.
  3. Findlay, R. J., Macrae, E. H., Whyte, I. Y., Easton, C., & Forrest, L. J. (2020). How the menstrual cycle and menstruation affect sporting performance: experiences and perceptions of elite female rugby players. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(18), 1108-1113. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-101486.
  4. Pinel, C. J., Mehta, R., & Okholm Kryger, K. (2022). The impact and experienced barriers menstruation present to football participation in amateur female footballers. Journal of Sports Sciences, 40(17), 1950-1963. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2022.2122328.
  5. Krumer, A. (2024). On the cost of wearing white shorts in women’s sport. Journal of Behavioural and Experimental Economics, 110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2024.102214.
  6. Howard, T. (2023). Practical, professional or patriarchal? An investigation into the socio-cultural impacts of gendered school sports uniform and the role uniform plays in shaping female experiences of school sport. Sport, Education and Society, 29(6), 726-743. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2023.2189232.