Spanish validation of the Body Image States Scale (BISS): evaluation of sensitivity to exposure to photographs on Instagram

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to validate the Spanish version of the Body Image State Scale (BISS) in a sample of Spanish males and females and to examine its psychometric properties. We evaluated the BISS as a measure of body image state using an experimental task to assess context sensitivity after exposure to attractive Instagram photographs. The sample consisted of 533 participants (M = 22.40, SD = 3.52). The unidimensional structure of the BISS as found by the authors of the original scale was corroborated. The BISS showed satisfactory internal consistency and full scalar invariance across sex. Negative relationships were found with a measure of dysmorphic concerns (Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire, [DCQ]) and body mass index (BMI). Mean difference analyses showed that participants in the experimental group evaluated their physical appearance as being worse after exposure to photographs of young men considered attrac-tive. The Spanish validation of the BISS seems adequate for assessing state body image in the general population, opening a wide field of clinical and research applications.