Body uneasiness, body perception and body weight: Factor structure and measurement invariance in non-clinical adolescents

Body Image (BI) represents a multifaceted construct. In accordance with a cognitive-behavioural perspective, Cash and colleagues (2002) developed a conceptual model on BI, which included two main components, namely, perceptual, i.e., self-perceptions of body size, and attitudinal, i.e., evaluation of body attractiveness, and emotions related to body. However, the model has mainly been investigated among women. Less is known about the factor structure of BI among non-clinical adolescent boys and girls, by including body image-relevant aspects, such as reflected self-perceptions, and weight-related discrepancies. In the present longitudinal study, we aimed to explore the factor structure of questionnaires tailored to assess an individual’s BI on a sample of non-clinical teenagers, and to further test for the measurement invariance across gender and time. A sample of teenagers (N= 342, 68,7% boys) aged from 13 to 19, was involved, who self-reported on the Body Uneasiness Test, and the Contour Drawing Rating scales along which they evaluate their own actual, ideal and reflected body figures. They also provided their height, and actual and ideal weight. The discrepancy indices of their ideal body mass index (BMI) against the actual and normative ones, that is, how an individual should weigh in line with standard for age and sex, were computed. Results from confirmatory factor analysis provided support for the Cash’s two-factor model of BI revealing attitudinal and perceptual domains (χ 2 = 108.60, df = 39, p < .001; CFI= 0.97, TLI= 0.96, RMSEA= 0.07, SRMR= 0.04). The configural invariance of BI factor structure was supported both across gender and time. Developmentally, the present findings revealed the tenability of the two-factor model of BI across gender and time, among non-clinical adolescents. Our findings also contributed to extend the original model by mapping onto it significant body image-related lower-order facets such as reflected self-appraisals and BMI-related discrepancies.