Development of the Body Self-Image Questionnaire

Abstract

The purpose of these studies was to develop a new questionnaire, called the Body Self-Image Questionnaire (BSIQ), to measure body image in young adults. During the questionnaire development process, data were collected in 3 separate studies. In Study 1, open-ended questions were developed from a review of the body image literature and from a review of current instruments used to measure body-related traits. These questions were administered to develop statement items for the BSIQ. In Study 2 and Study 3, exploratory factor analyses and item-subscale correlations were used to guide revisions to the questionnaire. The final result was a 9-factor (Overall Appearance Evaluation, Fatness Evaluation, Health/Fitness Evaluation, Negative Affect, Health/Fitness Influence, Social Dependence, Investment in Ideals, Attention to Grooming, and Height Dissatisfaction), 51-item questionnaire. Internal consistency reliabilities for the subscales in the final version of the BSIQ ranged from .68 to .92. Factor loadings in Study 3 supported the 9-factor structure, with one exception. Some ambiguity existed in 2 subscales (Negative Affect and Social Dependence), whose factor loadings suggested the possibility of a single factor. From these preliminary results, the BSIQ appears to contribute to the research of body image by offering a straightforward, multidimensional measure of body image. The BSIQ was developed using a comprehensive, multiple stage process and improves on several existing tests in its use of a common format across all items and acceptable validity and reliability evidence. Further research is needed to build on this evidence using confirmatory factor analyses and external validity evidence.