Definition
The Body Checking Questionnaire (BCQ) (Reas et al. 2002) is a 23-item self-report inventory designed to assess the frequency of body checking behaviors. Body checking refers to the checking of one’s body shape, weight, or size. The BCQ items measure the frequency of body checking behaviors, such as measuring or pinching specific body parts (e.g., thighs, waist, upper arms, etc.), using mirrors to monitor one’s shape, wearing special clothes or jewelry to gauge fit, or feeling for bone protrusion. Each BCQ item is scored on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (very often); thus, higher scores indicate higher frequency of checking (total scores range from 23 to 115). The BCQ is the first instrument developed specifically to assess body checking behaviors and has been translated into several languages, including Norwegian, Italian, German, and Portuguese. Prior to its development in 2002, assessment options for body checking were scant, limited to few...
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References and Further Reading
Calugi, S., Dalle Grave, R., Ghisi, R., & Sanavio, E. (2006). Validation of the body checking questionnaire in an eating disorders population. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 34(2), 233–242.
Campana, A. N., Swami, V., Onodera, C. M., da Silva, D., & Tavares, C. Mda. (2013). An initial psychometric evaluation and exploratory cross-sectional study of the body checking questionnaire among Brazilian women. PLoS One, 8(9), e74649. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0074649.
Fairburn, C. G. (2008). Cognitive behavior therapy and eating disorders. New York: Guilford Press.
Lydecker, J. A., Cotter, E. W., & Mazzeo, S. E. (2014). Body checking and body image avoidance: Construct validity and norms for college women. Eating Behaviors, 15(1), 13–16. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2013.10.009.
Reas, D. L., & Grilo, C. M. (2004). Cognitive-behavioral assessment of body image disturbances. Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 10(5), 314–322.
Reas, D. L., Whisenhunt, B. L., Netemeyer, R., & Williamson, D. A. (2002). Development of the body checking questionnaire: A self-report measure of body checking behaviors. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 31(3), 324–333.
Shafran, R., Fairburn, C. G., Robinson, P., & Lask, B. (2004). Body checking and its avoidance in eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 35(1), 93–101. doi:10.1002/eat.10228.
Shafran, R., Lee, M., Payne, E., & Fairburn, C. G. (2007). An experimental analysis of body checking. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45(1), 113–121. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2006.01.015.
White, E. K., & Warren, C. S. (2013). Body checking and avoidance in ethnically diverse female college students. Body Image, 10(4), 583–590. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2013.04.003.
White, E. K., Claudat, K., Jones, S. C., Barchard, K. A., & Warren, C. S. (2015). Psychometric properties of the body checking questionnaire in college women. Body Image, 13, 46–52. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.12.004.
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Reas, D.L. (2015). Body Checking Questionnaire (BCQ). In: Wade, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Feeding and Eating Disorders. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-087-2_10-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-087-2_10-1
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