Validation of the Body Acceptance by Others Scale-2 (BAOS-2) and assessment of its associations with prospective changes in body image among young adults in China

Self-objectification in Chinese pregnant women: The mixed role of functionality appreciation

Extensions of objectification theory to pregnant women are few and continued research is needed to better understand the psychological consequences of significant changes to physical appearance during pregnancy. Specific interests in this area include functionality appreciation which may be particularly relevant to pregnancy. Research in this area is also lacking representation of non-Western cultural contexts. To this end, we employed an online survey to assess objectification theory and functionality appreciation in Chinese pregnant women (N = 345). Correlations showed that higher body surveillance and body shame were associated with higher disordered eating and psychological distress, and higher functionality appreciation was associated with lower body surveillance, body shame, and disordered eating. Mediation analyses suggested that higher body surveillance was associated with higher body shame which, in turn, was associated with higher disordered eating and psychological distress. Main effects suggested a negative association between functionality appreciation and body shame, but moderation analyses suggested that higher functionality appreciation strengthened the positive association between body surveillance and body shame. Findings underscore objectification theory as a useful framework to understand eating and body image disturbances and psychological distress in Chinese pregnant women and outline future directions to clarify the temporal nature of these associations and the precise role of functionality appreciation.

Psychometric properties of a Spanish translation of the Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS) in adults from Colombia

The 7-item Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS) measures the extent of an individual's appreciation of their body for what it can do and is capable of doing. Although the FAS has been widely used in diverse linguistic contexts, it has not been previously translated into Spanish. Here, we examined the psychometric properties of a novel Spanish translation of the FAS in Colombian adults. A total of 1420 university students from Colombia (804 women, 616 men) completed the FAS, as well as additional validated measures. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses in separate subsamples supported a unidimensional model of FAS scores. The FAS evidenced scalar invariance across gender identity, with men having significantly higher FAS scores than women (Cohen's d = 0.18). FAS scores were also found to have adequate composite reliability, as well as adequate convergent (significant associations with body appreciation, appearance evaluation, and eating disorder psychopathology) and concurrent validity (significant associations with self-esteem, life satisfaction, and gratitude). Functionality appreciation incrementally predicted life satisfaction in women, but not in men. Overall, these results suggest that the Spanish FAS is a psychometrically valid and reliable tool for the assessment of functionality appreciation in university-aged populations from Colombia.

Translation and validation of a Chinese version of the body talk scale for women and men

Body talk has received increasing research attention in recent years, with accumulating evidence supporting the link between body talk and eating and body image disturbances. However, research on body talk in China is still relatively scarce and generally focused on fat talk, especially in women, and much remains unknown about muscle talk and positive body talk for both Chinese women and men. To promote a better understanding of body talk in the Chinese context, the present study adapted the Body Talk Scale (BTS) into Chinese Mandarin (i.e., C-BTS) and evaluated the factor structure and psychometric properties of the C-BTS in Chinese adult women and men. The English version of the BTS was translated into Chinese Mandarin with standard procedures. With 300 Chinese women (Mage = 29.48 years, SD = 7.26) and 300 men (Mage = 29.36 years, SD = 6.81), we examined the factor structure and gender invariance of the C-BTS, as well as internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, and construct validity, including convergent, concurrent, and incremental validity of the C-BTS. The results indicated that, consistent with the development study of the BTS, the C-BTS had three subscales (i.e., Negative Fat Talk, Negative Muscle Talk, and Positive Body Talk) and good reliability and validity. The findings demonstrate that the C-BTS can be a useful measure of body talk in both Chinese women and men.

Exploring the reciprocal associations between body appreciation, body image flexibility, and body acceptance by others in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: Results from cross-lagged panel analyses among women and men

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a context associated with negative consequences for body image and eating behavior. However, little is known about what factors helped to mitigate these consequences and build a positive body image. Previous research pointed to the significance of body image flexibility and perceived body acceptance by others in predicting body appreciation. However, as most of the studies have been cross-sectional, causal relationships are poorly understood. This longitudinal study tested the reciprocal association between body appreciation, body image flexibility, and perceived body acceptance by others during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. We analyzed data from a large community sample consisting of 1436 women and 704 men who were invited to complete the study measures (BAS-2, BI-AAQ-5, BAOS-2) at three time points, each approximately six months apart. Latent cross-lagged panel analyses revealed that greater T1 body appreciation predicted an increase in T2 body image flexibility among both genders, while for women, we additionally observed reciprocal effects between T2 and T3. Among both genders, we further found that greater body appreciation predicted increased perceived body acceptance by others over both measurement intervals (but not vice versa). Our findings are discussed in light of pandemical constraints during the studies' assessments.

The Chinese version of the Functionality Appreciation Scale: Psychometric properties and measurement invariance across gender and age

BACKGROUND

Functionality appreciation, as an important aspect of positive image, is associated with fewer body image disturbances, fewer disordered eating behaviors, and improved psychological well-being. However, it has been under-researched in Asian countries. The current work aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS) among four Chinese samples of different ages, and further examine measurement invariance and differences of the FAS across gender and age groups.

METHODS

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) were conducted to examine the factorial structure of the FAS among four Chinese samples of different ages, including middle school adolescents (n = 894, M_age = 12.17 years), high school adolescents (n = 1347, M_age = 15.07 years), young adults (n = 473, M_age = 21.95 years), and older adults (n = 313, M_age = 67.90 years). The measurement invariance of the FAS across gender and age was examined. Internal consistency reliability and construct validity were evaluated.

RESULTS

The FAS had a unidimensional structure and was invariant across gender and age groups. The FAS presented sound psychometric properties in all age groups by gender, with good internal consistency reliability [e.g., high Cronbach's α values (.91 ~ .97)] and good construct validity (e.g., significant associations with body appreciation, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating). Moreover, group comparisons showed minimal gender differences in functionality appreciation. However, significant age differences were found in functionality appreciation, with older ages generally associated with higher functionality appreciation.

CONCLUSION

Overall, findings suggest that the FAS is a sound instrument to be used in the Chinese context. Furthermore, functionality appreciation was found to be higher in older adults than adolescents or young adults, suggesting the potential important role of aging in functionality appreciation.

Psychometric properties of a Greek translation of the Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS) in adults from the Republic of Cyprus

The Functionality Appreciation Scale is a widely used instrument for the measurement of an individual's appreciation of their body for what it can do and is capable of doing (i.e., functionality appreciation). In the present study, we examined the psychometric properties of a novel Greek translation of the FAS in Cypriot adults. A total of 448 women and 345 men from the Republic of Cyprus completed the FAS, as well as validated measures of body appreciation, appearance evaluation, and symptoms of disordered eating, and self-esteem. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a unidimensional model of FAS scores, with all 7 items retained. Scores achieved scalar invariance across gender, with the gender difference in FAS scores not reaching significance. FAS scores were also found to have adequate composite reliability and convergent (significant associations with body appreciation, appearance evaluation, and symptoms of disordered eating) and concurrent validity (significant associations with self-esteem). Finally, functionality appreciation predicted self-esteem once the effects of all other variables had been accounted for, supporting incremental validity. Overall, these results suggest that the Greek FAS is a psychometrically valid tool for the assessment of functionality appreciation in adults from Cyprus.