Assessment of the Body Shape Concern: A Challenge

Abstract

ResumoObjetivo: Apresentar, por meio de revisão de literatura, uma abordagem teórica sobre o constructo "imagem corporal" destacando a vertente da "preocupação com a forma corporal" e as propriedades psicométricas da escala Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ). Método: Foi realizado um levantamento bibliográfico dos estudos publicados no período de 1987 a 2012 que estavam disponíveis na íntegra nas bases de dados Pubmed, Bireme e Scielo. A procura e seleção dos artigos foi realizada entre Janeiro e Março de 2013. Resultados: Inicialmente foram revistos 95 artigos, sendo que fizeram parte deste estudo 40 trabalhos e um livro. Alguns estudos avaliam a preocupação com a forma corporal dos indivíduos e posteriormente relatam que aferiram a preocupação com imagem corporal, entretanto, a preocupação com a forma corporal é apenas um aspeto inerente à imagem corporal. Observam-se diferenças expressivas entre os sexos quanto às preocupações com o corpo, e a escolha do instrumento deve considerar esse fato. Existem vários instrumentos para avaliar diferentes aspetos relacionados com a imagem corporal. O instrumento mais utilizado é o BSQ, que avalia a preocupação dos indivíduos com a forma corporal. As propriedades psicométricas do BSQ não são consensuais na literatura quando aplicado a amostras distintas. Sugere-se a necessidade de realização de mais estudos na tentativa de se obter uma estrutura fatorial mais estável do BSQ. Conclusão: Este estudo procurou alertar profissionais para a importância de se analisar o conceito teórico relacionado com os diferentes aspetos que compõem o constructo "imagem corporal", considerando a variável sexo e as propriedades psicométricas dos instrumentos de medida. Palavras-Chave: imagem corporal, perceção de forma, estudos de validação, questionários AbstractAim: Through literature review, to present a theoretical approach on the "body image" highlighting the "body shape concern" and the psychometric properties of the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ). Method: Bibliographic survey of the studies published between 1987 and 2012 that were fully available in the Pubmed, Bireme and Scielo databases. The search and selection of the papers was made between January and March 2013. Results: Initially, 95 papers were reviewed, however, only 40 papers and one book were included in this study. Some studies evaluated individuals' body shape concern and subsequently reported that measured the body image concern, however, the body shape concern is just an aspect of body image. There are significant differences between genders regarding body concerns and these should be considered when choosing an instrument. There are several instruments to evaluate different aspects related to body image. The BSQ is the most used instrument to assess individuals' body shape concern. The psychometric properties of BSQ are not consensual in the literature when applied to different samples. The need of further studies is suggested in an attempt to get a more stable factorial structure of the BSQ. Conclusion: This study aimed to...

Self-Esteem, Self-Concept and Academic Performance in Middle-School Students According to their Sport Context

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“…The practice of physical exercise is understood as a very good factor in satisfaction with body image. Even if it is not within the aesthetic standards stipulated by the media, the adolescent feels higher self-esteem due to the morphological changes caused by physical exercise (lean mass gain and fat mass loss), considering that the body fat is a neglected factor in our society (Silva et al, 2014). Batista et al (2016) states that the level of satisfaction with body image is more positive in individuals who are involved in sports activities, compared to those who are not.…”

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

“…In an earlier work, Silva et al. (2016) reported that scores on the Portuguese version of the BSQ achieved adequate fit among university women following the removal of two items (#26 and 32) related to assessment diagnostics for eating disorders rather than body concerns, as is consistent with other work among similar cultural groups (Silva et al., 2014). However, this reduced item pool potentially creates an ipso facto problem vis-à-vis invariance, if it is assumed that a 32-item model should be fitted for men.…”

“…Studies examining sex differences among BSQ respondents (Amaral & Ferreira, 2017;Branco et al, 2006;Di Pietro & da Silveira, 2009;Laus et al, 2013) have typically found that men and boys obtain significantly lower BSQ scores than women and girls, leading researchers to conclude that women are more concerned with their body shape and weight than are men. However, such a conclusion may be unwarranted, given that BSQ items were originally designed to assess body concerns in women and not men (Silva et al, 2016;Silva, Dias, Pimenta, & Campos, 2014). That is, while any comparison of BSQ scores across sex presupposes that the measure functions similarly across these two groups (Slof-Op t'Landt et al, 2009), no prior research has established the sex invariance of this instrument.…”

Propriedades psicométricas da Satisfaction with Life Scale em adultos jovens brasileiros

“…Esses são instrumentos denominados psicométricos, ou seja, construídos com base em métodos padronizados com a finalidade de medir conceitos abstratos, não mensurados diretamente (como, por exemplo, afetos, comportamentos e percepções) 6 . Porém, é importante destacar que a escolha do instrumento para a avaliação do bem-estar subjetivo deve estar elencada no contexto de aplicação e na adequação do instrumento escolhido para amostra nos diferentes contextos 7 .…”