Psychometric investigation of the Attention to Body Shape Scale in Brazilian adults

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to develop a Portuguese version of Attention to Body Shape Scale (ABS), estimate the psychometric properties of the ABS for Brazilian data, and compare the ABS scores between the sexes and the different sample characteristics. The Portuguese version was developed following a standardized protocol. The factorial and convergent validity were evaluated using goodness-of-fit parameters and average variance extracted. Composite reliability and ordinal coefficient alpha were calculated. The invariance of the fitted model was investigated across independent subsamples using multigroup analysis. The scores were compared between variables using two-way ANOVA. A total of 1,056 individuals (71% female) with a mean age of 26.1 (SD=6.4) years participated in the study. Item 3 was removed due to low factor loading. The refined model presented good psychometric properties for the data. Different characteristics contributed to greater attention to body shape. The Portuguese version of the ABS will be useful to investigate attention to body shape in Brazil. The validity and reliability of the data supported the adequacy of the refined model. Specific characteristics influenced attention to body shape, and therefore, should be considered in future protocols.

Impact of body and orofacial appearance on life satisfaction among Brazilian adults

“…It is a unifactorial scale composed of 7 items with a 5-point Likert-type response scale, ranging from 1 (definitely disagree) to 5 (definitely agree). When estimating the psychometric properties of this instrument with respect to the study sample, it was observed that one item (item 3: "I am not selfconscious about my body shape") did not have an adequate factor loading [14]. Therefore, this item was not considered for calculation of the mean score and analyses of the present study in order to avoid possible biases and ensure the validity and reliability of the estimates.…”

“…The ABS [8,14] was used to assess the cognitive component of body image. It is a unifactorial scale composed of 7 items with a 5-point Likert-type response scale, ranging from 1 (definitely disagree) to 5 (definitely agree).…”

“…Measurement of the body image is challenging, as it requires instruments capable of capturing body valuation from the individual's perception and/or attitudes [7]. Considering the multidimensionality of body image and the diversity of instruments available to measure it [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15], future studies aiming to evaluate different body image components simultaneously have become increasingly relevant.…”

“…Orofacial appearance deserves attention since it has great importance in social insertion and in the construction of an individual's identity [16]. However, studies [8,9,14,15,17,18] that evaluate body image usually do not include orofacial appearance among the investigated components. Inclusion of orofacial appearance could be relevant for a more comprehensive evaluation of body image.…”

Relationship between Attention to Body Shape, Social Physique Anxiety, and Personal Characteristics of Brazilians: A Structural Equation Model

“…In this process, the person is consumed by some information while neglecting others, and this occurs individually and may vary according to the intensity of each stimulus [ 3 ]. In the context of body image, when individuals turn their attention to their physique, they can experience feelings of adequacy, but also of inadequacy, which, depending on the intensity, can trigger mental disorders such as anorexia or bulimia nervosa [ 4 , 5 ]. Therefore, assessing the degree of attention to the body becomes relevant to identify a dysfunctional cognitive process.…”