TY - JOUR
T1 - Initial examination of the validity and reliability of the female photographic figure rating scale for body image assessment
AU - Swami, Viren
AU - Salem, Natalie
AU - Furnham, Adrian
AU - Tovée, Martin J.
PY - 2008/6/1
Y1 - 2008/6/1
N2 - The present study reports on the reliability and validity of an improved body image assessment scale, namely the female Photographic Figure Rating Scale (PFRS). This scale consists of ten photographic images of real women varying in body mass index (BMI) from emaciated to obese. The PFRS was designed to overcome many of the limitations associated with line-drawn figures that are currently in use, including a lack of realism and poor ecological validity. Based on a sample of 208 adult women, the results of the present study showed that the PFRS had good validity in that all images were correctly rank-ordered by BMI. In addition, construct validity was supported by the finding that current self-ratings of body size based on the PFRS were significantly correlated with participants' BMI and that body dissatisfaction was negatively correlated with positive body image. Finally, test-retest reliabilities showed that the PFRS remained stable after a three-week interval. The discussion focuses on the strengths and limitations of the PFRS in relation to existing scales used in body image assessment.
AB - The present study reports on the reliability and validity of an improved body image assessment scale, namely the female Photographic Figure Rating Scale (PFRS). This scale consists of ten photographic images of real women varying in body mass index (BMI) from emaciated to obese. The PFRS was designed to overcome many of the limitations associated with line-drawn figures that are currently in use, including a lack of realism and poor ecological validity. Based on a sample of 208 adult women, the results of the present study showed that the PFRS had good validity in that all images were correctly rank-ordered by BMI. In addition, construct validity was supported by the finding that current self-ratings of body size based on the PFRS were significantly correlated with participants' BMI and that body dissatisfaction was negatively correlated with positive body image. Finally, test-retest reliabilities showed that the PFRS remained stable after a three-week interval. The discussion focuses on the strengths and limitations of the PFRS in relation to existing scales used in body image assessment.
KW - Body image
KW - Body size
KW - Photographic Figure Rating Scale
KW - Scale assessment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=41549109689&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.paid.2008.02.002
DO - 10.1016/j.paid.2008.02.002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:41549109689
SN - 0191-8869
VL - 44
SP - 1752
EP - 1761
JO - Personality and Individual Differences
JF - Personality and Individual Differences
IS - 8
ER -