A two-factor structure of SCS with strong psychometric validity was supported in clinical and non-clinical samples. Helping individuals with limited experiences of compassion to develop positive internal processing systems seems to be related with better mental health, self-acceptance and self-nurturing abilities. The non-probabilistic sampling limits the generalization of our conclusions.

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The current study explores an innovative comprehensive model based on social rank theory to understand eating disorders' symptoms in women. A mentality focused on ranking, shame and competition predicts body image dissatisfaction. This ranking-focused mentality, along with body image dissatisfaction, leads to drive for thinness through increased self-criticism and decreased self-compassion. These findings support the emergent psychotherapeutic approaches for eating disorders that target self-criticism and self-compassion.

There is growing recognition that binge eating is a prevalent problem with serious implications for both clinical and nonclinical samples. The current study aimed at examining the factor structure, psychometric properties and the screening usefulness of the Binge Eating Scale (BES) in a large sample of female college students and women from the Portuguese general population.A sample of 1008 participants was collected to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis and test the BES psychometric properties; 150 participants were further evaluated through the Eating Disorder Examination 16.0D to assess the discriminant validity of the BES.Results confirmed that the BES presents a sound one-dimensional factorial structure, with very good construct reliability and convergent validity. Also, the scale presented very good retest-reliability. Findings also offered evidence that BES is positively associated with measures of eating and general psychopathology, and BMI.Furthermore, BES revealed an excellent performance (96.7%) on discriminating clinically significant cases of binge eating, showing a sensitivity of 81.8% and a specificity of 97.8%.Results support the validity and usefulness of the BES as an assessment and screening tool for binge eating in women from the general population.

This study presents the development of a new self-report instrument to assess how an individual perceives himself as social agent within his group having physical appearance as a reference, the Social Comparison through Physical Appearance Scale (SCPAS). This scale adds to the existent measures by assessing the social ranking based on one's physical appearance, and not the tendency to make comparisons of the general physical appearance or specific body parts. Its psychometric characteristics are investigated in a sample of 828 female participants from normal population. Principal components analysis was conducted for each part of the instrument: the Part A: peers shows a 2-factor structure (Attractiveness/Rank and Group Fit) explaining 72.142% of the variance; the Part B: models presents a one-dimensional structure that explains 69.191% of the variance. Findings show very good internal consistency coefficients and test-retest reliability. The two parts of the SCPAS are significantly associated to social comparison and shame measures, to anxiety, depression and stress indicators, and to eating disorders symptomatology. The scale discriminates between a clinical sample of 91 patients with an eating disorder and a non-clinical sample of 102 participants. Regression analyses pointed out that social comparison through physical appearance with peers and models partially mediates the effect of the dissatisfaction with current weight on disordered eating, namely drive for thinness.