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. 2020 Dec 1:11:579783.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.579783. eCollection 2020.

A Brief Assessment of Body Image Perception: Norm Values and Factorial Structure of the Short Version of the FKB-20

Ileana Schmalbach  1   2 , Bjarne Schmalbach  2 , Markus Zenger  3   4 , Hendrik Berth  1 , Cornelia Albani  5 , Katja Petrowski  2   5 , Elmar Brähler  4   6
Affiliations

A Brief Assessment of Body Image Perception: Norm Values and Factorial Structure of the Short Version of the FKB-20

Ileana Schmalbach et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

The Body Image Questionnaire-20 (FKB-20) is one of the most applied self-report measures in the context of body image assessment in German-speaking regions. A version of the FKB-20 capturing an ideal concept of body image is also available. A special property of the scale is its high sensitivity for individuals suffering from anorexia nervosa. The present research provided a short version of this scale (for both variants) and examined its validity in a representative sample (N = 2,347) of the German population. We utilized factor analysis methods to identify the optimal short scale of the measure, finding excellent model fit and reliability for a two-factor model (FKB-6) for both real and ideal body image. Both versions of the FKB-6 can be considered invariant across sex and age groups. Good reliability indices were shown for both versions of the FKB-6. The reliability indices were similar to those mentioned in previous studies. Our study also revealed, that large discrepancies between the real and an ideal body image are correlated with somatic and body dysmorphic symptoms. Finally, we provided norm values for comparisons of individual scores with the general population. The FKB-6 is a valid and a reliable measure that economizes assessments by clinicians and researchers.

Keywords: Body Image Questionnaire-6; body dysmorphia; body image; eating disorders; ideal body image; scale construction.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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