BIO Girls: Effect of a Community-Based Empowerment Program on Youth Self-Esteem

Adolescent females are at risk for increased rates of poor mental health, with low self-esteem being of particular concern. Approaches incorporating mentorship, emotional intelligence training, and physical activity directed toward improving self-esteem in youth may be effective. The objectives of this study were to evaluate a program, titled BIO Girls, for measures of self-esteem, paying particular attention to potential differential effects based on physical activity type. Self-esteem, body esteem, and physical activity enjoyment were assessed in BIO Girls participants, serving as study participants, preseason and postseason. Paired samples t-tests revealed significant increases in self-esteem (t(84) = −1.62, p = .004) from pre-test to post-test. Significant increases from pre-test to post-test were found for body esteem in certain groups, cross-training (t(84) = 2.10, p = .04) and yoga t(84) = 15.00, p = .01) and on specific body esteem subscales, the appearance esteem subscale t(84) = −2.11, p = .02). Repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant differences between program type, (F(3,81) = .33, p = .90), grade (second-sixth), (F(4,80) = .41, p = .80), or program location F(1,83) = .003, p = .96 for self-esteem. No significant differences were found between program type (F(3,81) = .23, p = .95), or grade (F(4, 80) = .61, p = .52) for body esteem. No significant differences were found between program type F(3,81) = .64, p = .46., or grade F(4,81) = .85, p = .46 for enjoyment of PA. BIO Girls program was effective in enhancing self-esteem regardless of the type of physical activity, age of the participants, and program location. BIO Girls was also effective in improving components of body esteem in its participants, regardless of the type of physical activity and age of the participants.