Psychometric evaluation of the "Body Checking and Avoidance Questionnaire--BCAQ" adapted to Brazilian Portuguese

OBJECTIVE

Adapt and validate the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Body Checking and Avoidance Questionnaire (BCAQ).

METHODS

The study consisted of: translation and back translation; technical review and assessment of semantic equivalences, factor analysis and discriminant and concurrent validity in a sample of subjects with and without eating disorders.

RESULTS

The instrument was adapted and was found to be easy to understand (mean scores higher than 3.4; maximum score: 5.0) and showed excellent concordance (Cronbach's alpha: 0.94). Factor analysis identified five components with eigenvalues greater than 1. It was able to discriminate the two groups (p<0.001) and correlated with the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) (r=0.50), body shape questionnaire (BSQ) (r=0.68) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scales (0.51).

DISCUSSION

The Brazilian Language version showed suitable internal consistency and external validation, and was easy to understand. The results were similar to the original version and its use is recommended for evaluation of body checking in the Brazilian population in subjects with or without eating disorders.

Drug-dependent women: demographic and clinical characteristics in a Brazilian sample

This study compared baseline demographics, clinical characteristics and patterns of substance use of 99 substance misusing women seeking treatment in a Brazilian hospital who had been diagnosed with drug dependence (alcohol dependence, if present, was not the most important) against 162 women diagnosed with alcohol dependence. Most of the drug-dependent women in this study were dependent on cocaine (73.7%). It was found that drug-dependent women, at entry, were younger, with a higher educational level, single or lived alone, and had a job outside home more often than alcoholics; they also had less alcohol-use related problems in the family and more relatives with problems with other drugs. They sought treatment mainly by self-initiative and reported more past suicide attempts than their alcoholic counterparts. In addition, they began drug use at the same age but increased drug use, as well as seeking treatment, significantly earlier. Alcoholics had more psychiatric comorbidity. The findings point out heterogeneity among chemically-dependent Brazilian women.