Individual Differences in Weight Bias Among Elementary Physical Educators

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: PS 10 Topic - Education, Schooling

Abstract

While physical education (PE) classes and sports teams create an opportunity to increase overweight and obese students’ interest in physical activity (Price, 1990), these are settings in which overweight and obese students encounter stigma from PE teachers and coaches (Bauer et al., 2004). Weight bias predicts negative psychological (Eisenberg et al., 2003) and physical (Hunger & Tomiyama, 2014) outcomes in children and adolescents. Individual differences can play an important role in weight bias. Personality characteristics such as openness to experience (Akrami & Ekehammar, 2012) and agreeableness (Graziano et al., 2007) are related to lower instances of prejudices and biases, including weight bias (Jackson et al., 2016). Length of time in the profession (O’Brien et al., 2007) and individuals’ own BMIs (e.g., Rex-Lear et al., 2019) can predict weight bias as well. The current study examined weight bias in elementary PE teachers using an experimental design, as well as the links between teachers’ individual differences in personality, tenure, and BMI and their weight bias.

Elementary school PE teachers (N = 286) completed an online survey consisting of demographic questions, job-related questions, and the Short Form of the Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2-S; Soto & John, 2017). Participants then viewed one of eight health profiles of a 10-year-old student; the profiles differed by gender, BMI, and health habits and fitness scores. After viewing the student profile, PE teachers evaluated the adolescent on motivation/success, trustworthiness/intelligence, and laziness. They also indicated how much time they would spend with the student individually to help them learn something new.

After controlling for teacher openness and agreeableness, PE teachers rated average weight students as more motivated/successful than obese students, b=-0.16, SE=0.59, t(278)=-2.67, p=.01, sr2=.03. At low levels of openness and agreeableness, student BMI was negatively related to willingness to spend time with the student, such that teachers who were low in both agreeableness and openness were less willing to spend time with students who were obese (see Figure 1). After controlling for teacher personality, PE teachers still rated obese students as lazier than average weight students, b=0.18, SE=0.06, t(278)=3.03, p=.003, sr2=.03.

After controlling for teacher tenure and BMI, obese students were rated as less motivated/successful than average weight students, b=-0.18, SE=0.06, t(263)=-2.91, p=.004, sr2=.03. There was a 3-way interaction between teacher BMI, student BMI, and tenure for motivation/success, such that newer teachers with low or average BMIs rated obese students as less motivated/successful than average weight students (see Figure 2). After controlling for teacher tenure and BMI, obese students were rated as lazier than average weight students, b=0.20, SE=0.06, t(267)=3.31, p=.001, sr2=.04. There was also a 3-way interaction between teacher BMI, student BMI, and tenure for laziness, b=0.003, SE=0.001, t(263)=2.28, p=.02, sr2=.02, such that newer teachers with low or average BMIs rated obese students as lazier than average weight students. Results of the current study highlight the importance of considering individual differences when researching weight biases in physical educators and when planning or implementing possible bias reduction interventions.

Authors

• Abigail Heller, University of Texas at Arlington
  Presenting Author

• Lauri A Jensencampbell, University of Texas at Arlington
  Non-Presenting Author