Development and validation of the mirror image comfort and avoidance scale (MICAS)

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to measure the experience of viewing one's reflection in the mirror for use in rehabilitation, nursing, psychology, and in research studies designed to improve the mirror-viewing experience for those who have suffered psychological or bodily trauma. A secondary purpose was to explore demographic differences in each subscale of the instrument.

Methods

The developed items went through content expert validation, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and internal consistency reliability testing.

Results

Using an exploratory factor analysis (n = 137) and a confirmatory factor analysis (n = 142), we validated a 17-item instrument for two distinct populations: veterans (n = 108) and individuals with upper and lower limb loss (n = 210). The mirror viewing comfort subscale (9 items; α = 0.90) and the mirror avoidance subscale (8 items, α = 0.94) were deemed reliable. Strong, significant correlations between pre-and post-comfort scores (r = 0.81, p < 0.001), as well as pre-and post-avoidance scores (r = 0.94, p < 0.001) provide evidence of test-retest reliability. Demographic differences were noted in the subscales.

Conclusions

This instrument contributes to a greater understanding of the experience of mirror-viewing in clinical practice. In interventional research studies to improve the mirror-viewing experience, this instrument can act as a manipulation check or outcome measure.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Individuals who suffer actual or perceived body disfigurement due to surgery or trauma may suffer mirror discomfort or mirror trauma when viewing their bodies in a mirror. This reaction is due to a pre-frontal cortex neurological disruption and autonomic nervous system fright/flight or faint. Psychological disorders (e.g., devastation, shame, self-revulsion, decreased body image) may ensue.

• Falls have occurred due to mirror trauma due to an autonomic nervous system disturbance (faint) and may result in ongoing mirror avoidance. When mirrors are needed for incision visualization, mirror avoidance has led to severe surgical site infections.

• Although there were many scales available in the literature to measure several aspects of the effects of actual or perceived body disfigurement, there were no scales that measured the mirror-viewing experience.

• Clinicians and researchers can use the Mirror Comfort and Avoidance Scale (MICAS) to assess mirror comfort and avoidance.

Keywords:

• Instrument
• body image
• disfigurement
• trauma
• mirror-viewing
• mirror
• veteran
• amputation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Financial assistance for this study was received from Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX, USA.