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Exercise involvement and trait-anxiety are determinants of physical self-concept: exercisers exhibit superior profiles compared with non-exercisers

Physical self-concept represents an important determinant of healthy psychological functioning. It is influenced by several factors, including physical activity, body competence, and chronic anxiety. In this study 391 women and men were subjected to aerobic (Cooper test) and anaerobic (sit-ups) performance tests and completed questionnaires assessing their physical self-concept, trait anxiety, and exercise status (i.e. exercising regularly or not). A hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that gender, exercise status, fitness, and trait-anxiety accounted for 41% of the variance in the physical self-concept (p < .001). Further, exercisers differed in both aerobic and anaerobic performance measures, and physical self-concept (p < .001) from the nonexercisers. Mediation analysis indicated that the performance indices had negligible impact on the relationship between exercise status and physical self-concept. Our results imply that mere involvement in regular exercise has positive effect on physical self-concept that is virtually unaffected by one’s physical performance.