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The Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire: Assessment of its Construct Validity in a Community Sample of French Adolescents

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Abstract

Background

Among the few instruments used to measure the behavioral component of body image disturbances, the Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire (BIAQ) is the most widely used. Despite the wide utilization of this instrument, it is currently unknown whether it is appropriate for male and female adolescents from middle and junior high schools.

Purpose

The main objective of the present series of studies was to test the construct validity of the BIAQ in a community sample of French adolescents.

Method

The content, factor, and convergent validity of the BIAQ were verified in the context of four independent studies conducted on a total sample of 945 adolescents.

Results

The first study showed that the content and formulation of the French BIAQ items were adequate for children and adolescents. The following three studies provided support for the factor validity, measurement invariance (across sex), reliability, and convergent validity of the French BIAQ. Regarding the measurement invariance tests, the results revealed that the models were invariant up to the levels of the latent means structures. Post hoc probing of these differences showed a significant higher latent mean score of the global BIAQ scale in females (in samples 2 and 3).

Discussion

The present results provide preliminary evidence regarding the construct validity of the BIAQ in a community sample of French adolescents.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Collège Capron, Lycée Amiral de Grasse, Collège Jules Romains, Lycée Thierry Maulnier, Collège Roustan, Lycée Professionnel Magnan, Lycée Professionnel des Eucalyptus, Collège Fersen, Lycée Professionnel Benjamin Morel, Collège la Sine, Collège Louis Nucéra, and Lycée du Parc Impérial for their invaluable assistance in data collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR 6233 “Institute of Movement Sciences, Etienne-Jules Marey”, CNRS-University of Aix-Marseille II, 163 Avenue de Luminy, CP 910, 13288, Marseille Cedex 9, France

    Christophe Maïano

  2. FLSH, Department of Psychology, Sherbrooke, University of Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

    Alexandre J. S. Morin

  3. EA 4206 “Addictive, Performance and Health Behaviors”, University of Montpellier I, Montpellier, France

    Johana Monthuy-Blanc

  4. Laboratory “Human Motricity, Education, Health”, University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis, Nice, France

    Jean-Marie Garbarino

Authors
  1. Christophe Maïano
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  2. Alexandre J. S. Morin
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  3. Johana Monthuy-Blanc
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  4. Jean-Marie Garbarino
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christophe Maïano.

Additional information

Since both contributed equally to the preparation of this paper, the order of appearance of the first and second authors (Christophe Maïano and Alexandre J.S. Morin) was determined at random: both should be considered first authors. This manuscript was prepared while Alexandre J.S. Morin was a visiting scholar at the University of Aix-Marseille II.

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Maïano, C., Morin, A.J.S., Monthuy-Blanc, J. et al. The Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire: Assessment of its Construct Validity in a Community Sample of French Adolescents. Int.J. Behav. Med. 16, 125–135 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-009-9035-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-009-9035-7

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