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Validation and invariance across gender of the Beliefs About Appearance Scale (BAAS) in a community sample of heterosexual adults in a committed relationship

Estudo de validação e invariância de gênero da Escala de Crenças Acerca da Aparência Corporal numa amostra da comunidade de adultos heterossexuais num relacionamento comprometido

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Beliefs About Appearance Scale (BAAS) in terms of its factorial structure and invariance, reliability, and validity when applied to adults from the community.

Methods

Participants consisted of 810 heterosexual Portuguese individuals in a committed relationship. As a confirmatory factor analysis did not support the original structure of the BAAS, an exploratory factor analysis was performed.

Results

A 12-item version was extracted comprising two dimensions: one personal and the other social. The factorial model depicting this bidimensional structure revealed an adequate fit following confirmatory factor analysis. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses indicated invariance across gender. Concurrent and discriminant validities and internal consistency were estimated and observed to be adequate.

Conclusions

This shorter measure of the BAAS can accurately assess body appearance beliefs and may be used in different research settings and contexts.

Keywords:
Body appearance; beliefs; validation; factor analyses; multigroup analysis

Associação de Psiquiatria do Rio Grande do Sul Av. Ipiranga, 5311/202, 90610-001 Porto Alegre RS/ Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 51) 3024 4846 - Porto Alegre - RS - Brazil
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