Measuring body image during pregnancy: psychometric properties and validity of a German translation of the Body Image in Pregnancy Scale (BIPS-G)

• Published in: BMC pregnancy and childbirth 2019-07, Vol.19 (1), p.244-244, Article 244
• Main Authors: Nagl, Michaela, Jepsen, Lene, Linde, Katja, Kersting, Anette
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Assessment; Body image; Body Image - psychology; Confidentiality; Female; German language; Germany; Humans; Informed consent; Mental Disorders - diagnosis; Mental Disorders - psychology; Personal appearance; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - diagnosis; Pregnancy Complications - psychology; Pregnant Women - psychology; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales - standards; Psychometrics; Qualitative research; Quantitative psychology; Reproducibility of Results; Self Concept; Self esteem; Self image; Translation; Translations; Validation; Validity; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-2393; 1471-2393
• DOI: 10.1186/s12884-019-2386-4

This study aimed to provide a German translation of the Body Image in Pregnancy Scale (BIPS) - a measure tailored to pregnancy-specific aspects of body image while being consistent to the multifaceted theoretical framework of body image - and to test its psychometric properties and validity. The English-language original version of the BIPS was translated into German language using a forward-backward translation rationale. Face validity of the items was tested in cognitive interviews (n = 5). An online survey was conducted among 291 pregnant women. After conducting standard item analyses, factorial validity was tested using principal-axis factor analysis (PAF). Convergent and incremental validity with measures of body dissatisfaction (FFB), depression (EPDS), anxiety (GAD-7), self-esteem (RSE), and eating disorder psychopathology (EDE-Q) was tested by bivariate correlations and multiple linear hierarchical regression analyses. The PFA revealed a 32 item and 6-factor solution resembling the dimensions preoccupation with appearance, dissatisfaction with strength-related aspects, dissatisfaction with body parts, dissatisfaction with complexion, prioritization of appearance over function, and concerns about sexual attractiveness. Internal consistency on a subscale level was good to excellent (.79 ≤ Cronbach's α ≤ .91). Consistent with theoretical assumptions, we found significant positive correlations of BIPS-G subscales with depression, anxiety and eating disorder psychopathology and negative correlations of BIPS-G subscales with self-esteem. BIPS-G subscales substantially improved the prediction of depression, anxiety, self-esteem and eating disorder psychopathology over demographic factors and body dissatisfaction (.03 ≤ ΔR  ≤ .15, all p-values