Validation of a Latin-American Spanish version of the Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESAA-LA) in Colombian and Nicaraguan adults

J Eat Disord. 2023 Dec 8;11(1):219. doi: 10.1186/s40337-023-00942-5.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Background: Body dissatisfaction (BD) is a growing concern in Latin America; reliable and culturally appropriate scales are necessary to support body image research in Spanish speaking Latin American countries. We sought to validate a Latin-American Spanish version of the Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESAA; Mendelson et al. 2001).

Methods: The BESAA was translated, culturally adapted, and validated in a sample of adults in Colombia (N = 525, 65% women, Mage 24.4, SD = 9.28). We assessed factor structure (using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and exploratory structural equation model (ESEM)), internal reliability (using Cronbach's alpha and omega), validity (using the Body Appreciation Scale BAS and Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire SATAQ), test-retest stability in a small subsample (N = 84, using Intraclass correlations ICC) and measurement invariance across gender. To evaluate the generalizability of the scale, we assessed reliability, validity, and factor structure in a second sample from rural Nicaragua (N = 102, 73% women, Mage 22.2, SD = 4.72), and assessed measurement invariance across Nicaraguan and Colombian participants.

Results: The scale showed good internal reliability and validity in both samples, and there was evidence of adequate test-retest stability in the Colombian sample. EFA showed a three-factor structure with subscales we labelled 'appearance-positive', 'appearance-negative' and 'weight', that was confirmed using CFA and ESEM in the Colombian sample. Measurement invariance was confirmed across the Colombian and Nicaraguan samples, and across gender within the Colombian sample.

Conclusion: The Latin-American Spanish version of the BESAA (BESAA-LA) appears to be a psychometrically sound measure with good reliability, validity and invariance across gender and countries. These results support the use of this scale to measure body satisfaction/dissatisfaction in Latin American adult populations.

Resumen: INTRODUCCIóN: La insatisfacción corporal (BD) es una preocupación creciente en Latinoamérica; cuestionarios confiables y culturalmente apropiados son importantes para fomentar la investigación de la imagen corporal en los países latinoamericanos. Tratamos de validar una versión en español latinoamericano de la Escala de Estima Corporal para Adolescentes y Adultos (Mendelson et al., 2001). MéTODOS: La escala fue traducida, adaptada culturalmente y validada en una muestra de adultos en Colombia (N = 525, 65% mujeres, Medad 24,4, SD = 9,28). Se evaluó la estructura factorial (mediante análisis factorial confirmatorio (AFC), análisis factorial exploratorio (AFE) y modelo exploratorio de ecuaciones estructurales (ESEM)), confiabilidad interna (utilizando alfa de Cronbach y omega), validez (utilizando la Body Appreciation Scale BAS y Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire SATAQ), estabilidad test-retest en una pequeña submuestra (N = 84, usando correlaciones intraclase ICC) e invarianza de medición entre géneros. Para evaluar la generalización de la escala, se evaluó la confiabilidad, validez y estructura factorial en una segunda muestra de adultos Nicaragüenses (N = 102, 73% mujeres, Medad 22,2, SD = 4,72).

Resultados: La escala evidenció una buena confiabilidad interna y validez en ambas muestras y mostró evidencia de una estabilidad temporal adecuada en la muestra colombiana. La EFA evidenció una estructura de tres factores con las subescalas que denominamos ‘apariencia-positiva’, ‘apariencia-negativa’ y ‘peso’ que se confirmó mediante AFC y ESEM en la muestra colombiana. Se confirmó la invarianza de medición en las muestras colombiana y nicaragüense, así como entre los géneros dentro de la muestra colombiana. CONCLUSIóN: La versión en español latinoamericano BESAA-LA es una medida psicométricamente sólida con buena confiabilidad, validez e invarianza entre géneros y países. Estos resultados apoyan el uso de esta escala para medir la satisfacción/insatisfacción corporal en poblaciones adultas latinoamericanas.

Keywords: Body Esteem Scale for Sdolescents and Adults; Body image; Body satisfaction; Colombia; Factor structure; Latin America; Nicaragua; Spanish; Validation.

Plain language summary

Body dissatisfaction is a risk factor for eating disorders, so it is important to have measures to reliably assess body satisfaction/dissatisfaction. As most research is conducted in English-speaking countries, relatively few questionnaires have been translated to other languages. Here, we assessed the usefulness of a Latin-American Spanish translation of the Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESAA), used to assess body satisfaction/dissatisfaction, in adult samples from two Latin American countries, Colombia and Nicaragua. Our results indicate that the Latin-American Spanish version of the BESAA (BESAA-LA) is a reliable and valid measure of body satisfaction/dissatisfaction in Colombian and Nicaraguan adults.