Internal validity, performance and dimensionality of the Body Shape Questionnaire among female students in the Kurdistan Iraq Region

Abstract

The objective of this study to modify and adapt the “Body Shape Questionnaire” for use in the Kurdistan Iraq society; to study the internal validity and the dimensionality of the measure when used with normal sample in the Iraqi society. Across-survey research was complete comprising (160) female students selected in the Salahaddin University, and (120) female students selected in the AL-Hyate University and Chihan University in Kurdistan Iraq. The thirty four items of “Body shape Questionnaire” original version and a questionnaire to evaluate demographic data were used. The result of “internal consistency” of BSQ-34 measured by “Cronbach Alpha” was (0.98) for Kurdish version and (0.97) for Arabic version, indicated that the items of the measure converge to the same concept. The principle component analysis “PCA” of the measure resulted in four-dimension solution accounting by160 Kurdish female student, however the “PCA” for the measure resulted three-dimensions accounting by 120 Arab female students. The old age was (18-20) 53.1% and (21-25) 46.9% for Kurdish sample, while Arabs student old age was (18-20) 55.0% and (21-25) 45.0%. Regarding the final results of BSQ, the mean score of BSQ Arab students were 89.1 3 with SD (33.83). The mean score of BSQ Kurdish female students were 103.03 with SD (43.40). The study found statistically significant race variances in the mean of “BSQ” scores. Kurdish female students showed higher dissatisfaction than Arab female students as to their body shape concern as measured by “BSQ” scale. The adapted versions of the scale seem to maintain the properties of the original one.

Keywords: Body concern; Body Shape Questionnaire BSQ; Principle component analysis PCA; Students; Direct translation.