Reliability and validity of adolescents' scores on the body esteem scale
Abstract
The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Body Esteem Scale (BES) among 255 girls and 436 boys from Grades 5 through 12. To date, the BES has been found to yield reliable and valid scores for adults, but it has not been used among adolescents. In the present study, internal consistency was evidenced for the gender-specific subscales, with values ranging from .82 to .94. Principal components analyses with oblique rotation replicated the original adult, gender-specific factor structures for both boys and girls, although an additional factor was obtained for girls. Convergent validity was evidenced by statistically significant correlations between the BES and cigarette smoking behavior, future smoking intentions, and feelings of self-esteem. Moderate support for divergent validity was demonstrated, with scores on the BES gender-specific subscales being unrelated to socioeconomic status and number of hours per week television is watched. The investigation provides preliminary data that the BES may be a psychometrically defensible assessment of body esteem among adolescents.
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The physical self-esteem measure in Study 1 had acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.90).
“Participants completed the Body-Esteem scale (α = 0.90)”
From The associations between social comparison on social media and young adults’ mental health (2025) · cites this paper as Cecil and Stanley, 1997
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References 54 · Cited by 27
- Authors
- Cecil, H., & Stanley, M. A.
- Affiliations
- Indiana University (US)
- University of Texas
- Venue
- Educational and Psychological Measurement
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1997-04
- Volume
- 57
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 340-356
- ISSN
- 0013-1644 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-3888
- OpenAlex
- W2045621430
- Cited by
- 27
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Educational and Psychological Measurement (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Keywords
- Body Esteem Scale, body esteem, adolescents, psychometric properties, internal consistency, factor structure, gender differences, convergent validity, discriminant validity, cigarette smoking, smoking intention, self-esteem, television viewing, socioeconomic status
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