The Multidimensional Structure of Physical Self-Concept

Abstract

The present study aims to analyze the dimensionality of physical self-concept through confirmatory factor analysis of the AFI questionnaire (Esnaola, 2005; Esnaola & Goñi, 2006) and to compare two models: a) a quadri-dimensional model in which physical self-concept is made up of the sub-domains ability, condition, attractiveness and strength, and, b) a three-factor model in which the items corresponding to ability and condition are grouped together as one factor. The sample consists of 1,259 participants ranging in age from 12 to 84 years old (700 women and 556 men) who were divided into four groups as a function of age: 627 adolescents (12-18 years old), 272 young people (19-30 years old), 248 middle-aged adults (31-49 years old) and 112 people over 55, all living in the Basque Autonomous Region of Spain. The results indicate that the quadri-dimensional model of physical self-concept fits the data better than the three-dimensional model (which showed poor goodness of fit) for the study's total sample, as well as within the male and female sub-samples. Furthermore, the four-factor model was found to be stable throughout adolescence, youth and middle-age, but not for the group of adults over 55.

La estructura del Cuestionario de Autoconcepto Social (AUSO)

“…From the nineteen-nineties onwards, however, a new, extremely fertile, area of research opened up focusing on the dimensions or components of each of these three domains, in accordance with the supposition that, rather than improving global self-concept itself, attention should be directed at trying to improve selfperceptions in its specific dimensions or aspects. This new research area gave rise to numerous studies on physical selfconcept (Esnaola, Infante, & Zulaika, 2011;Esnaola, Rodríguez, & Goñi, 2011;Goñi, 2008), as well as on the specific areas of academic self-concept, such as musical selfconcept and artistic self-concept (Vispoel, 1995). More recently, a model of personal self-concept was tested in our environment (Goñi, Madariaga, Axpe, & Goñi, 2011), distinguishing between self-perceptions of self-fulfillment, autonomy, emotional adjustment and honesty.…”

Efficacy of a Cognitive Program for Improving the Physical Self-Concept of University Students

“…Recent research measuring physical self-concept using this questionnaire (Esnaola, Infante, & Zulaika, 2011) showed good indices of fi t for the posited four-dimensional model. In fact, both for male and female sub-samples throughout adolescence, youth, and middle age, the results showed acceptable indices of fi t in confi rmatory factor analysis (RMSEA = .073; GFI, IFI and CFI > .9) as well as confi gural analysis, used to check the stability of the four-factor model across diff erent age groups (RMSEA = .076, CFI = .97, IFI = .97).…”

Diferencias de sexo y edad en el autoconcepto social

“…Desde la década de los setenta del pasado siglo se ha venido prestando considerable atención en las investigaciones psicológicas al estudio no sólo del autoconcepto general, en cuanto autopercepción global, sino a otras autopercepciones de menor amplitud (Peixoto & Almeida, 2011;Shavelson, Hubner, & Stanton, 1976) tales como el autoconcepto físico (Esnaola, Infante, & Zulaika, 2011;Goñi, Rodríguez, & Esnaola, 2010;Rodríguez-Fernández, Axpe, & Goñi, 2015), el autoconcepto académico (Xu et al, 2013), el autoconcepto personal (Goñi, Madariaga, Axpe, & Goñi, 2011) y el autoconcepto social .…”