THE EVALUATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BODY DYSMORPHIC DISORDER, RUMINATION, SELF-ESTEEM, AND EXERCISE ADDICTION

This study investigates the correlations between Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), exercise addiction, self-esteem, and rumination among international students studying in North Cyprus. A total of 352 participants were selected using purposive sampling. The Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSE), Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale Modified for BDD (BDD-YBOCS), Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI), and the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) were employed to collect data. The results indicate that rumination is a key predictor of BDD, but self-esteem and exercise addiction have no predictive effect on BDD. On the other hand, self-esteem had a predictive relationship with exercise addiction. It was further revealed that depression has a predictive relationship with rumination. The outcomes show a strong relationship between rumination and BDD, suggesting underlying cognitive mechanisms involved in BDD. The study found that students who do not engage in social media use have significantly reduced levels of BDD and self-esteem compared to users, and that those who practice strength training have enhanced levels of self-esteem than individuals who perform aerobic exercise. This research highlights the need to address emotional, behavioral, and cognitive aspects to get a holistic understanding of body image disturbances among various populations of students. It also underlines the influence of exercise modalities employed by individuals on mental health outcomes.