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Structure of the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale: Reevaluated 20 Years later

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Abstract

The Objectified Body Consciousness Scale (OBCS) is a prominent measure of key constructs in the body image literature. Despite the impact and popularity of the OBCS, however, investigations of its factor structure have been limited. To our knowledge, the present study is the first since the instrument’s development 20 years ago to provide a detailed evaluation of the replicability of the factor structure of OBCS data in a sample of U.S. college women, the population for which the measure was originally developed and is used most frequently. Specifically, we used confirmatory factor analyses to evaluate the structure of OBCS data and identify areas for measure refinement. Internal consistency reliability and convergent validity were also examined. A sample of 368 U.S. college women completed the OBCS along with measures of body esteem and thin-ideal internalization as convergent validity indicators. Findings revealed that OBCS Control Beliefs items were poor indicators of the factor. A two-factor structure composed of Body Surveillance and Body Shame was supported. Support for internal consistency reliability and convergent validity was also garnered. Additionally, abbreviated versions of the Body Surveillance and Body Shame subscales produced good model-data fit without sacrificing reliability or validity. These results support the use of the OBCS Body Surveillance and Body Shame subscales to assess critical aspects of body image in research and practice contexts; the abbreviated versions of these subscales can address demands for brevity in these contexts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology & Center for Women’s Studies and Gender Research, University of Florida, 112250, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    Bonnie Moradi

  2. Department of Health Education and Behavior, College of Health and Human Performance, University of Florida, 118210, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    Julia R. Varnes

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  1. Bonnie Moradi
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  2. Julia R. Varnes
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Correspondence to Bonnie Moradi.

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Moradi, B., Varnes, J.R. Structure of the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale: Reevaluated 20 Years later. Sex Roles 77, 325–337 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-016-0731-x

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