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 t...

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Main Authors: Anita Gust, Elizabeth H. Blodgett Salafia, Darcie M. Sell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-08-01
Series:SAGE Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251367528
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author Anita Gust
Elizabeth H. Blodgett Salafia
Darcie M. Sell
author_facet Anita Gust
Elizabeth H. Blodgett Salafia
Darcie M. Sell
author_sort Anita Gust
collection DOAJ
description 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.
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spelling doaj-art-a662a8ca90c941d7a8e73c5204d0e3962025-08-20T18:04:16ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open2158-24402025-08-011510.1177/21582440251367528BIO Girls: Effect of a Community-Based Empowerment Program on Youth Self-EsteemAnita Gust0Elizabeth H. Blodgett Salafia1Darcie M. Sell2University of Minnesota Crookston, USABIO Girls, Director of Programming and Research, Fargo, ND, USAConcordia College, Moorhead, MN, USAAdolescent 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.https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251367528
spellingShingle Anita Gust
Elizabeth H. Blodgett Salafia
Darcie M. Sell
BIO Girls: Effect of a Community-Based Empowerment Program on Youth Self-Esteem
SAGE Open
title BIO Girls: Effect of a Community-Based Empowerment Program on Youth Self-Esteem
title_full BIO Girls: Effect of a Community-Based Empowerment Program on Youth Self-Esteem
title_fullStr BIO Girls: Effect of a Community-Based Empowerment Program on Youth Self-Esteem
title_full_unstemmed BIO Girls: Effect of a Community-Based Empowerment Program on Youth Self-Esteem
title_short BIO Girls: Effect of a Community-Based Empowerment Program on Youth Self-Esteem
title_sort bio girls effect of a community based empowerment program on youth self esteem
url https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251367528
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