Sandoz, E. K., Wilson, K. G., Merwin, R. M., & Kellum, K. (2013). Assessment of body image flexibility: The Body Image – Acceptance and Action Questionnaire. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 2(1–2), 39-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2013.03.002
Acceptance and mindfulness components are increasingly incorporated into treatment for eating disorders with promising results. The development of measures of proposed change processes would facilitate ongoing scientific progress. The current series of studies evaluated one such instrument, the Body Image – Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (BI-AAQ), which was designed to measure body image flexibility. Study one focused on the generation and reduction of items for the BI-AAQ and a demonstration of construct validity. Body image flexibility was associated with increased psychological flexibility, decreased body image dissatisfaction, and less disordered eating. Study two demonstrated adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability of BI-AAQ. Study three extended findings related to structural and construct validity, and demonstrated an indirect effect of body image dissatisfaction on disordered eating via body image flexibility. Research and clinical utility of the BI-AAQ are discussed. The BI-AAQ is proposed as a measure of body image flexibility, a potential change process in acceptance-oriented treatments of eating disorders.
The BI-AAQ is attached below in .pdf format below and is downloadable for members. All items are summed to yield a score for body image inflexibility or reverse-scored to yield a score for body image flexibility.
Also attached below is a modified version of the BI-AAQ that does not refer specifically to weight and shape.
Contact Emily Sandoz with questions or comments: emilysandoz@louisiana.edu
References:
Sandoz, E. K., Wilson, K. G., Merwin, R. M., & Kellum, K. (2013). Assessment of body image flexibility: The Body Image – Acceptance and Action Questionnaire. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 2(1–2), 39-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2013.03.002
Lee, E.B., Smith, B.M., Twohig, M.P., Lensegrav-Benson, T., & Quakenbush-Roberts, B. (2017). Assessment of the body Image-Acceptance and Action Questionnaire in a female residential eating disorder treatment facility. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 6(1), 21-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2016.11.004
Soulliard, Z.A. & Vander Wal, J. (2022). Measurement invariance and psychometric properties of three positive body image measures among cisgender sexual minority and heterosexual women. Body Image, 40, 146-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.12.002
BI-AAQ-5 Short Form
References:
Basarkod, G. Sahdra, B., & Ciarrochi, J. (2018). Body Image–Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–5: An Abbreviation Using Genetic Algorithms. Behavior Therapy, 49(3), 388-402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2017.09.006
Soulliard, Z.A. & Vander Wal, J.S. (2022). Measurement invariance and psychometric properties of three positive body image measures among cisgender sexual minority and heterosexual women. Body Image, 40, 146-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.12.002