THE BODY APPRECIATION SCALE-2: PSYCHOMETRIC EVALUATION OF THE PUERTO RICAN SPANISH VERSION IN FEMALE BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS

M. Meléndez Rosario¹, P.G. Lanausse Siqueira¹, A.E. Miranda Milán¹, G. Vega Debién¹, A.L. Mulero Portela¹

¹University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campues, Physical Therapy Program, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Background: Self-perceived body image may impact women’s quality of life, well-being, and levels of depressive symptomatology after cancer-related treatment. Therefore, it is advised to include an assessment of self-perceived body image as part of physical therapy care.

Purpose: This study aimed to test the psychometric properties of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) adapted for Spanish spoken in Puerto Rico.

Methods: Body appreciation, depression, physical function, and global health were measured in 109 female breast cancer survivors from the metropolitan area of Puerto Rico. Study participants were diagnosed with cancer (stages 0 to III) and had completed adjuvant curative therapy at least two months to five years prior to recruitment. Internal consistency and convergent construct validity were reported.

Results: Participants had an average age of 61.5 (SD=7.1) years, and 64.2% had a bachelor’s degree or higher educational level. The internal consistency of the BAS-2 adapted for the Puerto Rican Spanish was Cronbach α=0.92. Exploratory factor analysis supported unidimensionality. Body appreciation was negatively correlated with higher levels of depressive symptomatology, and positively correlated with higher levels of physical function, and physical and mental health. In addition, body appreciation was negatively correlated with a higher body mass index (BMI).

Conclusions: The BAS-2 showed excellent internal consistency and adequate convergent construct validity with depression, physical function, quality of life, and BMI.

Implications: Our study shows that the BAS-2 adapted for Puerto Rican Spanish has adequate psychometric properties in a sample of female breast cancer survivors. Given the increased numbers of Puerto Ricans who live outside of Puerto Rico, this study adds a psychometrically sound outcome measure to assess body appreciation in this population within the physical therapy context.

Funding acknowledgements: Funded by grants 3SC3GM116684 and U54GM133807 from the National Institute of General Medicine Sciences of the National Institutes of Health.

Keywords:
Psychometrics
Body image
Body appreciation

Topics:
Professional practice: other
Oncology, HIV & palliative care

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus

Committee: Human Subjects

Ethics number: A0050116