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The development and validation of the Body-Image Ideals Questionnaire
1Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529-0267, USA.
Journal of Personality Assessment
|June 1, 1995
Summary
The Body-Image Ideals Questionnaire (BIQ) reliably measures body image by assessing discrepancies from and importance of personal ideals. It shows validity in college women, correlating with personality and psychosocial adjustment.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Body Image Research
Background:
- Body image is a significant factor in psychosocial adjustment.
- Existing measures may not fully capture the multidimensional nature of body image ideals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate the Body-Image Ideals Questionnaire (BIQ).
- To assess perceived discrepancies from and investment in personal body ideals.
Main Methods:
- Administered the 20-item BIQ to 284 college women.
- Examined reliability and validity using correlational analyses with existing measures and personality/adjustment variables.
Main Results:
- The BIQ demonstrated good internal consistency and reliability.
- Established convergent validity with established body image measures, personality traits (public self-consciousness, perfectionism), and psychosocial adjustment (social anxiety, depression, eating disturbance).
- Confirmed incremental validity of multiple self-ideal discrepancies; social desirability effects were minimal.
Conclusions:
- The BIQ is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing body image ideals.
- The BIQ offers a unique attitudinal assessment of body image discrepancies and importance.
- Findings support the BIQ's utility in basic and clinical body image research.