Psychometric Evaluation of the Farsi Version of the Body Image Concerns During Pregnancy Scale

Abstract

Background: Body image is a multifaceted construct comprised of cognitive, affective, perceptual, and behavioral components that may change during pregnancy.Objectives: The present study aimed to translate the Body image concerns during pregnancy scale (BICPS) into Farsi and examine its psychometric properties.Methods: The study sample included 500 pregnant women referred to obstetrics and gynecology clinics in Sanandaj, Asadabad, and Hamadan in Iran. Face and content validity were examined. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on half of the participants, and Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) on the other half. Internal consistency was examined using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and McDonald’s omega, and relative and absolute stability was assessed using interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error examination.Results: In the EFA, five factors, including dissatisfaction with body parts and social concerns, concerns about weight and appearance, concerns about skin changes, concerns about abdominal obesity, and concerns about the future were extracted that together explained 53.86% of the total variance of body image concerns during pregnancy. Floor and ceiling effects were zero percent. Internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and McDonald's omega was above 0.7. The goodness of fit indices of the CFA was within the acceptable range.Conclusion: The Farsi version of the Body image concerns during pregnancy scale (F-BICPS) is a valid and reliable instrument to measure pregnant women’s concerns about their body image.

Keywords

• body image
• pregnancy
• psychometric evaluation
• validity
• reliability