The Positive Body Image among Adolescents Scale (PBIAS): Conceptualization, development, and psychometric evaluation among adolescents from Belgium
Open accessAbstract
In this study, we aimed to offer a conceptualization of positive body image during adolescence and psychometrically examine a new scale developed to measure this conceptualization. A literature review on positive body image and adolescence was conducted, which shaped the development of the Positive Body Image among Adolescents Scale (PBIAS). In Study 1, four focus groups (totaling 14 adolescents) from Belgium explored the content, clarity, and applicability of the PBIAS items. In Study 2, an exploratory factor analysis (N = 565; M age = 14.9, 63.8 % girls) revealed 4 factors: body self-appreciation, body other-appreciation, resilience against media body ideals, and resilience against negative appearance feedback. This 4-factor structure was confirmed in Study 3 (N = 718; M age = 15.2, 50.4 % girls), and gender invariance was upheld. The test-retest reliability of the PBIAS scores was partially supported in Study 4 (N = 309, M age = 15.3, 66.3 % girls). Across studies, internal consistency was supported and construct validity (convergent and incremental) evidence was garnered. Further, the PBIAS was translated from Dutch to English to offer researchers an option for collecting data in English-speaking countries. Overall, the PBIAS is a brief measure with psychometric support that assesses four dimensions of adolescent positive body image.
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Adolescent body image encompasses not only body dissatisfaction but also positive body image characteristics, such as body appreciation and resilience to appearance ideals and negative appearance feedback.
“Adolescent body image encompasses not only body (dis)satisfaction but also positive body image characteristics, such as body appreciation and resilience to appearance ideals and negative appearance feedback (Maes et al., 2021).”
From Navigating Beauty Standards on Social Media: Impact of Appearance Activity on Adolescents’ Body Dissatisfaction (2025) · cites this paper as Maes et al., 2021
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Sorted by citations
Kvardova, N., Machackova, H., Maes, C., & Vandenbosch, L. (2025) · Journal of Youth and Adolescence · doi:10.1007/s10964-025-02159-y · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“Adolescent body image encompasses not only body (dis)satisfaction but also positive body image characteristics, such as body appreciation and resilience to appearance ideals and negative appearance feedback (Maes et al., 2021).”
Self-citation
- Authors
- Maes, C., Trekels, J., Tylka, T. L., & Vandenbosch, L.
- Affiliations
- KU Leuven (BE)
- The Ohio State University at Marion (US)
- Corresponding author
- Vandenbosch, Laura
- Venue
- Body Image
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2021-09
- Volume
- 38
- Pages
- 270-288
- ISSN
- 1740-1445 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3165784509
- Cited by
- 52
- References
- 94
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4
- FWCI
- 5.46
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- lirias.kuleuven.be
- Licence
- Locations
- Body Image (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Lirias (KU Leuven) (acceptedVersion)
- Lirias (KU Leuven) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Dépôt institutionnel de l'Université libre de Bruxelles (Université Libre de Bruxelles) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Keywords
- positive body image, adolescents, scale development, gender invariance, cross-cultural translation
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Belgium, Body Image, Concept Formation, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Female, Humans, Male, Psychometrics, Surveys and Questionnaires, Reproducibility of Results
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