The Physical Body Experiences Questionnaire Simplified for Active Aging (PBE-QAG).

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Kinesiology
• Psychology

Background:

• Physical activity is linked to positive, self-oriented body awareness.
• Body awareness tends to decline with age, particularly in older populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To verify the internal consistency of the Physical Body Experiences Questionnaire simplified for active aging (PBE-QAG) in Italian elders.
• To assess the relationship between physical awareness and perceived physical activity levels in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving elderly individuals (65+).
• Participants completed the PBE-QAG and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire.
• Internal reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, and factor structure was evaluated via Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFAs).

Main Results:

• The PBE-QAG demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.89 for the total score).
• CFAs confirmed a 4-factor model consistent with existing literature.
• Assiduous or regular physical activity (over 10 minutes) correlated with higher PBE-QAG scores compared to sporadic activity.

Conclusions:

• The PBE-QAG is a reliable tool for measuring physical awareness in Italian elderly.
• The findings support the positive impact of physical activity on body awareness in aging populations.
• The questionnaire's 4-factor structure is validated in this sample.