The present study shows that people in sports teams generally have relatively high scores on the Exercise Addiction scale, with 12.6% showing the risk of addiction. The general high scores on the EAI were reported by students in sports teams. Therefore it is plausible that instead of actually being addicted to exercise, they may simply have just been committed to their sport. Although, certain factors of the individual’s behavior revealed that it could be beyond...
The present study shows that people in sports teams generally have relatively high scores on the Exercise Addiction scale, with 12.6% showing the risk of addiction. The general high scores on the EAI were reported by students in sports teams. Therefore it is plausible that instead of actually being addicted to exercise, they may simply have just been committed to their sport. Although, certain factors of the individual’s behavior revealed that it could be beyond a commitment to the sport, due to high levels of neuroticism and narcissism being reported. Thus, participants may participate in sport to enhance their mood, reduce anxiety and seek high levels of salience they require, to fulfill the demanding characteristics of these personality traits.
The prevalence level of risk of addiction was 12.6% in student sports participants, however this figure is four times higher than the 3% reported by Terry, Szabo, & Griffiths and Monok et al, although it was also four times lower than the prevalence rate reported by Anderson, Basson, & Geils. This figure could have varied significantly due to the population used and the level of competition they partake. The population studied were competitive sports athletes that compete at a University level. Hence it is possible that the group of athletes used had a greater association with exercise, causing them to report higher levels on the EAI scale.
