Physical Appearance Perfectionism: Psychometric Properties and Factor Structure of an Assessment Instrument in a Representative Sample of Males.

Perfectionism is a multidimensional construct with both positive and negative aspects. Recently, the concept of appearance-oriented perfectionism has been introduced, which is associated with body image dissatisfaction and weight and shape control behaviors. The Physical Appearance Perfectionism Scale (PAPS) is a 12-item two-factor instrument developed to assess this new dimension of perfectionism. The aim of the study is to validate the Spanish version of PAPS among a representative sample of 850 male university students in Spain (M = 20 years old; SD = 2.7). Exploratory and confirmatory factorial structure, internal consistency, convergent and concurrent validity, and associated predictor variables analyses have been carried out. Results showed that the Spanish version of the PAPS maintains the original factor structure with all items and proves to be a reliable instrument. Physical appearance-oriented perfectionism is associated with general perfectionism, higher body dissatisfaction, Eating Disorders and Muscle Dysmorphia symptomatology, and compulsive exercise, particularly in the Worry about Imperfection subscale. These variables also act as predictors of physical appearance perfectionism. The use of the PAPS-S and the analysis of its subscales is recommended in the context of body image-related pathologies such as Eating Disorders and Muscle Dysmorphia.

Establishing the optimal male cut-off point: confirmatory factor analysis of the eating disorder examination-questionnaire (EDE-Q) in a representative sample of Spanish university students.

PURPOSE: Although the EDE-Q is derived from the "gold standard" for the assessment of eating disorders (ED), its factor structure is controversial, particularly in male samples. The aim of the study was to examine the psychometric properties and factor structure of the EDE-Q, as well as to establish a sensitive and specific cut-off point validated by EDE clinical interview. METHODS: A series of Confirmatory Factor Analyses were performed among a representative sample of 796 male university students, of whom 139 were interviewed. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to determinate the most appropriate cut-off value. RESULTS: The original factor structure was not confirmed, showing a better fit with a 2-factor solution. For the Spanish male sample, a cut-off ≥ 1.09 for at-risk of ED cases and ≥ 2.41 for clinical cases presents an optimal balance between sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSIONS: The establishment of specific cut-off points for males may help to reduce the under-diagnosis of ED in this population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III: evidence obtained from well-designed case-control study.

Assessment and validation of a Spanish version of the Muscle Dysmorphia Disorder Inventory in Argentinian men who exercise: Inventario de Dismorfia Muscular.

Despite an increase in body dissatisfaction and muscularity concerns among Latin American men, there is a paucity of research relating to muscle dysmorphia in this population. In this study we aimed to evaluate, for the first time in Latin America, the factor structure of the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MDDI; Hildebrandt, Langenbucher, & Schlundt, 2004). A sample of 551 men who exercise completed measures of body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and the MDDI. Exploratory factor analysis in a first split-half sample revealed a 3-factor solution similar to the original version, which was then tested through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in a second split-half sample. A re-specified model (allowing for error correlations between Items 10-13 and 11-13) presented adequate fit. Omega coefficients revealed adequate internal consistency (> .80) for the Drive for Size and Functional Impairment subscales. The internal consistency for the Appearance Intolerance subscale was .74 and .72 across subset samples. Associations with body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, body mass index, and frequency of training and rest days are presented as evidence of construct validity. Finally, multi-group CFA indicated that the model was invariant across type of exercise. Overall, these data suggest that the MDDI is suitable for use in Spanish-speaking Latin American male populations.

Asessing the male body image: Spanish validation of two instruments.

Despite the literature suggesting that body dissatisfaction is increasing among males, only few measures on specific body image concerns in men have been validated in Spanish male populations. The aim of this study was to reassess the factor structure of the Spanish versions of the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MMDI) and the Adonis Complex Questionnaire (ACQ). A cross-sectional study was conducted among 298 Sport Sciences male students to examine: reliability, the factorial structure, and several evidences of validity -concurrent and convergent- of both scales. The questionnaires present adequate reliability. The three-factor structure proposed for the MMDI was replicated. Nevertheless, the confirmatory factor analysis supports a second-order factor structure for the ACQ instead of the three-factor structure proposed. Moreover, the MDDI shows greater association than ACQ with the variables studied. This study represents an advance in the use of adequate and reliable scales of body image tools in the Hispanic population.