Investigating method effects associated with the wording direction of items of the Social Physique Anxiety Scale

PURPOSE

The use of psychometric instruments to measure latent concepts is common. The development of these instruments usually involves mechanisms to reduce response bias, such as the inclusion of reversed items. The aim of this study was to investigate method effects related to the wording direction of the Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS) items, a one-dimensional instrument that assesses individual's level of anxiety when others observe their body.

METHODS

In total, 152 Brazilian adults (65.8% female) answered 2 formats of the SPAS: the original with 12 items (7 regular and 5 reversed); and a new format with all items written in the same direction (i.e., regular). Both formats were filled out at different times and alternately. Differential item functioning analysis (DIF) and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted.

RESULTS

The original SPAS did not fit the data, but after allowing covariances between all reversed items, the fit improved. The wording effect was supported by the DIF, indicating a better fit to the data for the new format with all items worded in the same direction.

CONCLUSION

The wording of the SPAS items had effect on the psychometric properties of instrument. When the wording of the reversed items was modified, the factor model fitted the data. Future studies should take these findings into account and evaluate the SPAS with all items worded in the same direction in different contexts.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Descriptive (cross-sectional) study, Level V.

A Portuguese Adaptation of the Teruel Orthorexia Scale and a Test of Its Utility with Brazilian Young Adults

The aims for this study were to perform a Portuguese language cross-cultural adaptation of the Teruel Orthorexia Scale (TOS) and to evaluate the scale's psychometric properties, including verifying the frequency of behaviors characteristic of orthorexia nervosa and healthy orthorexia, among a group of Brazilian gym users. First, we adapted the Spanish version of the TOS to the Brazilian Portuguese language following international protocols to guarantee idiomatic, semantic, conceptual, and cultural equivalence. Then participants completed both the new Portuguese version of the TOS and a socioeconomic questionnaire. Among our sample of 226 young Brazilian adults (63.7% men; M _age = 28.8, SD = 5.1 years), we assessed the bi-factorial model of the TOS through factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity, reliability, and factorial invariance. We calculated the mean scores of the TOS factors and the frequency of behaviors of both orthorexia nervosa and healthy orthorexia. The new Portuguese version was well understood by participants, and the TOS bi-factorial model presented adequate psychometric properties and showed invariance in independent subsamples and in men and women. The mean scores were different between sexes only for orthorexia nervosa, with women obtaining higher values. The frequency of orthorexia nervosa behaviors was 5.3% and of healthy orthorexia was 41.2%. Based on these findings, the Brazilian Portuguese version of the TOS can be a useful tool for investigating orthorexia-like behaviors in future research.

Sociocultural pressure: a model of body dissatisfaction for young women

The aim of the study was to verify the influence of pressure from sociocultural agents on dissatisfaction with face and body in young women mediated by the internalization of the lean and muscular body and to identify the contribution of individual characteristics to this model. A total of 612 university female students participated of study. The students completed the Portuguese versions of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 and of the Body Area Scale-Revised and a sociodemographic questionnaire. A hypothetical model was constructed using structural equation modeling to test the relationship between the variables. The model fit and the significance of the hypothetical paths were verified. The results provide evidence that the greater the pressure of sociocultural agents and the internalization of the lean body, the more women were dissatisfied with body and face appearance. The media contributed to a greater internalization of the muscular body, which reduced the body dissatisfaction. The practice of physical activity and a higher economic level contributed to a greater internalization of the muscular body, which reduced body dissatisfaction. A higher economic level also influenced the internalization of the lean body and increased the dissatisfaction with face and body. A higher body mass index contributed to a greater pressure from sociocultural agents, greater internalization of the lean body, and greater dissatisfaction with body and face. The relationships identified in the model can contribute to the development of strategies aimed at reducing body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in the population, such as body acceptance.

Psychometric Validation of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of the Derriford Appearance Scale-24 (DAS-24) for People Living with HIV/AIDS

The changes in appearance of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) interferes with how people around them react to their body, how social interactions take place, and how each person perceives and accepts their body. The definition of itself can be severely challenged when the body changes as a result of illness and the person does not look healthier anymore. People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) are an especially vulnerable group when it comes to “distress” and the psychosocial impact of appearance, yet the assessment of body image changes in these people was subjective in Brazil. The aim of this paper was to assess the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of Derriford Appearance Scale 24 (DAS-24) for a sample of Brazilians living with HIV/AIDS. A sample of 400 patients were recruited from an HIV/AIDS ambulatory, aged between 18 and 78 years, of both sexes. The psychometric properties of DAS-24 were investigated while using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), with unweighted least square estimation and listwise deletion for missing data. The adjustment of three structural models previously established for DAS-24 (single-factor, two-factor, and three-factor) was investigated. Evidences of construct validity—convergent and discriminant—and internal consistency—Cronbach’s alpha and construct reliability—were also generated for the measure model. The results showed that the one-factor model had the best adjustment, after eliminating items 8, 17, and 20, and accepting the covariance of errors between items 4 and 10; 9 and 23; 11 and 14; and, 14 and 22. Additionally, validity and reliability evidence were satisfactory for the model. The Brazilian Portuguese version of DAS-24 seems to be a psychometrically sound scale for measuring body image distress for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA).

The Breast Size Satisfaction Survey (BSSS): Breast size dissatisfaction and its antecedents and outcomes in women from 40 nations

The Breast Size Satisfaction Survey (BSSS) was established to assess women's breast size dissatisfaction and breasted experiences from a cross-national perspective. A total of 18,541 women were recruited from 61 research sites across 40 nations and completed measures of current-ideal breast size discrepancy, as well as measures of theorised antecedents (personality, Western and local media exposure, and proxies of socioeconomic status) and outcomes (weight and appearance dissatisfaction, breast awareness, and psychological well-being). In the total dataset, 47.5 % of women wanted larger breasts than they currently had, 23.2 % wanted smaller breasts, and 29.3 % were satisfied with their current breast size. There were significant cross-national differences in mean ideal breast size and absolute breast size dissatisfaction, but effect sizes were small (η² = .02-.03). The results of multilevel modelling showed that greater Neuroticism, lower Conscientiousness, lower Western media exposure, greater local media exposure, lower financial security, and younger age were associated with greater breast size dissatisfaction across nations. In addition, greater absolute breast size dissatisfaction was associated with greater weight and appearance dissatisfaction, poorer breast awareness, and poorer psychological well-being across nations. These results indicate that breast size dissatisfaction is a global public health concern linked to women's psychological and physical well-being.

A psychometric investigation of Brazilian Portuguese versions of the Caregiver Eating Messages Scale and Intuitive Eating Scale-2

The Caregiver Eating Messages Scale (CEMS) was developed to assess perceived restrictive or critical caregiver messages in relation to food intake and pressure to eat, whereas the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) measures one's tendency to follow internal cues of hunger and satiety when making eating-related decisions. Both scales are useful in the arsenal of eating behaviour scholars. Here, we developed Brazilian Portuguese translations of both scales and assessed their psychometric properties in Brazilian adults. A total of 288 participants (men = 52.8%) completed the CEMS, IES-2, Body Appreciation Scale (BAS), and a demographic questionnaire. The results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the factor structure of both scales had adequate fit following the elimination of items and addition of covariances. Evidence of adequate factorial, convergent and discriminant validity, as well as reliability was identified. Furthermore, correlations of CEMS and IES-2 with BAS scores and body mass index were obtained. Both instruments' models were found to be invariant across sex, with men having significantly higher scores on three subscales of the IES-2 only. These results provide evidence for the psychometric properties of the CEMS and IES-2 in Brazilian Portuguese-speaking adults.Level of Evidence: V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

The Body Shape Questionnaire Is Not Invariant Across Sex: Evidence From Portuguese-Speaking University Students

The Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) is a widely used measure of body shape concerns that was originally designed for use with women but has more recently been used with boys and men. The latter use may be problematic, given that no previous study has demonstrated sex invariance for BSQ scores. To determine the extent to which BSQ scores are sex invariant, we asked Portuguese-speaking women ( n = 1,613) and men ( n = 871) to complete the full BSQ (34 items). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a hypothesized 32-item model of BSQ scores and shorter versions had acceptable fit indices in women and men, separately. However, multigroup confirmatory factor analysis showed that these BSQ model scores had configural but not metric, scalar, or strict sex invariance. Differential item analysis indicated significant item-functioning differences on 19 of the 32 retained BSQ items. Thus, BSQ scores are not sex invariant, making problematic the results of previous studies that have compared latent BSQ scores across sex.

Implicações da Cegueira Congênita na Imagem Corporal: Uma Revisão Integrativa

RESUMO Este estudo objetiva investigar, por meio de uma revisão integrativa, as principais implicações da cegueira congênita na imagem corporal. Um processo de buscas de artigos, sem limite de data de publicação, com os descritores “congenital blindness” e “congenitally blind”, nas bases SCOPUS, PsycINFO, Web of Science e PubMed, foi utilizado. Dentre as 3.612 publicações identificadas, 20 foram analisadas. Discutiu-se as implicações da cegueira em cinco áreas distintas: transtorno alimentar, representação do self, insatisfação corporal, experiência corporal e representação neural de autoconceito. Concluiu-se ser fundamental valorizar um complexo conjunto de fatores psicossociais no desenvolvimento da pessoa com cegueira congênita, que poderia impactar de modo positivo ou negativo a formação da imagem corporal.

Avaliação da Imagem Corporal: Notas Essenciais para uma Boa Prática de Pesquisa

RESUMOA pesquisa em imagem corporal no Brasil teve um aumento significativo, marcadamente na última década. Apesar do inegável amadurecimento nas pesquisas atuais, ainda se identificam inconsistências metodológicas na pesquisa em Imagem Corporal, à semelhança do que ocorria no cenário exterior na década de 1990. Este artigo metodológico foca-se na análise de pontos metodológicos importantes que necessitam de atenção na proposição de uma pesquisa. As informações aqui sistematizadas foram recolhidas de artigos científicos e livros focados na pesquisa em Imagem Corporal, assim como de cursos para capacitação de pareceristas em revista especializadas nessa temática. Foram escolhidos quatro tópicos para serem abordados e cada um deles trará apontamentos relevantes para a elaboração, condução e análise dos dados da pesquisa em Imagem Corporal.

Imagem corporal, trauma e resiliência: reflexões sobre o papel do professor de Educação Física

Incitar à reflexão sobre promoção da resiliência no contexto escolar por meio da intervenção intencional do professor de Educação Física é a principal proposta deste ensaio. Para alcançar este propósito, as autoras apoiaram-se em informações científicas já publicadas e em suas próprias observações, oriundas de suas práticas docentes. O presente ensaio inicia-se apresentando a perspectiva psicossomática do desenvolvimento da imagem corporal, uma informação preliminar necessária para a argumentação posterior, na qual conceituamos trauma e resiliência e apontamos argumentos que preconizam o exercício físico e as experiências corporais como fontes de compensação longitudinal para lacunas na identidade corporal. Nossa argumentação se finaliza diferenciando situações de perpetuação do trauma emocional e de desenvolvimento da identidade corporal, apontando o professor de Educação Física como um tutor de resiliência por excelência.

Validity of body image scales for Brazilian older adults

The aim of this study was to translate the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) and Aging Perceptions Questionnaire (APQ) for older adults into Brazilian Portuguese, and evaluate the psychometric properties of these instruments. A sample of 606 participants aged 60 to 98 years were recruited from hospitals, rest homes, physical activity centers, leisure centers, churches/religious institutions and from the general community. All participants were personally invited and voluntarily accepted to participate in the research. A confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit to the original APQ model and to a new bidimensional model for BAS after excluding some items. We also observed satisfactory evidence of internal consistency, convergent, discriminant, concurrent and divergent validity. Regarding validity, significant variation of scores from the two scales in both, physically active and sedentary participants was herein highlighted. In conclusion, the BAS and APQ appear to be valid and reliable scales for Brazilian researchers to study older adults.