Maria da Consolação Gomes Cunha Fernandes Tavares

The Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale: initial examination of its factor structure and correlates among Brazilian adults.

The present study conducted a preliminary examination of the psychometric properties of a recently developed Portuguese translation of the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS; Henderson-King & Henderson-King, 2005). A total of 311 Brazilian adults completed the ACSS along with Portuguese translations of measures of actual-ideal body weight discrepancy, body appreciation, sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, and demographics. Results showed that the Portuguese ACSS reduced to a three-factor solution consisting of the Intrapersonal, Social, and Consider factors uncovered in the original work using the ACSS. Moreover, there were only small sex differences on these subscales. In addition, the Portuguese ACSS showed a good pattern of convergent validity. The availability of the Portuguese ACSS is expected to stimulate more in-depth, quantitative research on attitudes toward cosmetic surgery within the Brazilian context.

Incontinência urinária entre estudantes de educação física

Urinary incontinence (UI) is seen as a problem that affects older multiparous women. Little attention has been given to identifying UI in groups of younger or nulliparous women. This study verified the prevalence of UI and the characteristics of urinary loss among young nulliparous female physical education students. Data collection was performed using a questionnaire. Of all 95 students, 61.1% answered the questionnaire. The average age was 21.4 years and 20.7% stated having presented involuntary urine loss. In 75% of cases, urinary loss occurred during sports activities. The students who had experienced urinary loss rated the problem with a 2.3 average score (ranging form 0 to 6), with 0 being no problem and 10 being a serious problem. It is concluded that uinary loss during exercise, though relatively frequent, is not considered a relevant issue for the physical education students.

Influência da atividade física na qualidade de vida e auto-imagem de mulheres incontinentes

Our aim was to verify the influence of a physical activities proposal in the quality of life and self image of incontinent women. This study was comparative and exploratory and was developed in 16 weeks. Thirty-seven women with and without urinary incontinence (IU) participated in the study. After the study, significant improvement in general health perception (p < 0.001), UI impact (p = 0.035), physical limitations (p = 0.015), personal relations, (p = 0.048), sleep and disposition (p = 0.012) and concerned with the gravity measurements (p = 0.011) was observed. Concerning self image, alterations in appearance were not observed; however, concerning body satisfaction, the women felt less satisfied with their bodies (p = 0.007). There was a reduction in the number of regions where they felt pain (p = 0.0003) and that they did not like (p = 0.0017). In conclusion, the Physical Education professionals using a systematized and integrated physical activities program can lead the women with IU to significant improvement in the perception of their quality of life and health concerning their self image with improvement of the IU symptoms and reduction of frequency and amount of urinary loss.

Translation and validation of the Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire (BIAQ) for the Portuguese language in Brazil

Brazilian researchers have not been provided with instruments with which to investigate body image avoidance behaviors. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire (BIAQ) for Brazil. The translation, synthesis, back-translation, Brazilian questionnaire formulation, and pretest were carried out in the first phase of the study. The study of the scale’s psychometric properties was conducted in the second phase of the study. Brazilian BIAQ has 13 items and good adjustment indexes. There was a greater adherence to the sampling data in the model in which the avoidance of body image is maintained by control strategies, by the refusal of body exposure, and by strategies that accommodate tension. This work is expected to enable the comparison of international data and the performance of multicultural studies on body avoidance behavior, expanding research possibilities in Brazil and worldwide.

Avaliação perceptiva da imagem corporal: história, reconceituação e perspectivas para o Brasil

La investigacion en imagen del cuerpo ha estado creciendo en gran numero en el Brasil. Sin embargo, la evaluacion de la dimension de la percepcion de la imagen corporal es area poco explorada. La finalidad de este articulo es repasar criticamente la historia, las caracteristicas, los factores de intervencion de evaluacion de la percepcion y presentar perspectivas para el Brasil.

An initial psychometric evaluation and exploratory cross-sectional study of the Body Checking Questionnaire among Brazilian women

Body checking is considered an expression of an excessive preoccupation with appearance. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a Brazilian Portuguese version of the Body Checking Questionnaire (BCQ). Additionally, we wanted to examine the questionnaire’s associations with body avoidance behaviour, body mass index, dietary habits, and the intensity, frequency, and length of physical exercise. Finally, we also examined the differences between the total BCQ score and the individual BCQ factor scores. Differences between active and sedentary persons and between non-dieters and those on weight-loss diets were also analyzed. For the psychometric study, 546 female public university students from four different courses were surveyed. Two minor samples of university students and eating disorders women were also recruited. In the second part of the study, 403 women were recruited from weight-loss programs, gyms, and a university. All participants were verbally invited to participate in the research and voluntarily took part. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit to the original model of the Brazilian BCQ that retained all 23 items. Satisfactory evidence of construct validity and internal consistency were also generated through analysis of factor loadings, t-values, Cronbach’s alpha, and construct reliability tests. The results also showed associations among body checking and body avoidance, body satisfaction, social anxiety, body mass index, and the frequency and intensity of physical exercise. Significant differences were found between non-dieters and weight-loss dieters for all BCQ factors and the total BCQ score. For physically active and sedentary persons, a significant difference was only observed for idiosyncratic checking behaviour. In conclusion, the BCQ appears to be a valid and reliable scale for Brazilian research, and the associations and differences found in this study suggest that women at gyms and especially in weight-loss programs should be targeted for future body checking studies.

Preocupação e insatisfação com o corpo, checagem e evitação corporal em pessoas com transtornos alimentares

The aim of this study was to investigate aspects of body image in a sample of people with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified. The sample was composed of 14 volunteers, cared for by the Eating Disorders Outpatients Clinic, from Universidade Estadual de Campinas. The Software for Perceptual Assessment (SPA) assesses body dissatisfaction. The variables body concern, checking behavior and avoidance behavior were assessed by the Body Shape Questionnaire, Body Checking Questionnaire and Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire, in this order. The descriptive analysis and correlations indicate high levels of dissatisfaction, checking behavior, avoidance behavior, and concern over the body, with significant associations. These findings showed the importance of the investigated parameters for the dynamic of the disease. Knowing these body image components could expand the possibilities of understanding how these patients organize their body representations and carefully plan interventions during the course of the treatment.El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar los aspectos del imagen corporal en una muestra de personas con anorexia nerviosa, bulimia nerviosa y trastorno alimenticio no especificado. La muestra estuvo compuesta por catorce voluntarios, atendidos por la Clinica de Trastornos Alimenticios de la Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brasil. Se utilizo el Software de Avaliacao Perceptiva para evaluar la insatisfaccion corporal. Las variables preocupacion con cuerpo, control y conducta de evitacion fueron evaluadas con el Body Shape Questionnaire, Body Checking Questionnaire y Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire, en esta orden. El analisis descriptivo y las correlaciones mostraron altos niveles de insatisfaccion, conducta de evitacion y control, preocupacion con el cuerpo, con asociaciones significativas. Estos resultados demuestran la importancia de los parametros investigados en la dinamica de la enfermedad. Conocer estos componentes del imagen corporal podria aumentar las posibilidades de la comprension de como la representacion del cuerpo se organiza para estos pacientes y planificar cuidadosamente las intervenciones en el curso del tratamiento.

Validity of body image scales for Brazilian older adults

The aim of this study was to translate the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) and Aging Perceptions Questionnaire (APQ) for older adults into Brazilian Portuguese, and evaluate the psychometric properties of these instruments. A sample of 606 participants aged 60 to 98 years were recruited from hospitals, rest homes, physical activity centers, leisure centers, churches/religious institutions and from the general community. All participants were personally invited and voluntarily accepted to participate in the research. A confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit to the original APQ model and to a new bidimensional model for BAS after excluding some items. We also observed satisfactory evidence of internal consistency, convergent, discriminant, concurrent and divergent validity. Regarding validity, significant variation of scores from the two scales in both, physically active and sedentary participants was herein highlighted. In conclusion, the BAS and APQ appear to be valid and reliable scales for Brazilian researchers to study older adults.

Associações e diferenças entre homens e mulheres na aceitação de cirurgia plástica estética no Brasil

BACKGROUND: Brazil ranks third among all countries in the number of cosmetic plastic surgery procedures performed per year. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between acceptance of plastic surgery and bodily satisfaction, internalization of media messages, and other psychosocial variables in a convenience sample of male and female Brazilian adults. METHODS: Non-probabilistic sampling was used to select a sample (n = 198) of an equal number of men and women for voluntary participation. All participants completed 5 study instruments that collected data used to perform correlation and variance analyses at a 95% level of significance. RESULTS: A significant association between acceptance of cosmetic plastic surgery and the variables of internalization of media messages and bodily appreciation was found in both sexes. A significant association between acceptance of cosmetic plastic surgery and life satisfaction was found only in women. Except for differences regarding the decision to undergo surgery after having considered the risks, no other differences regarding the acceptance of cosmetic plastic surgery in general were found between men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the small sample examined in this study, the findings largely accord with international observations and are expected to contribute to further understanding of the demand for cosmetic plastic surgery in Brazil.

Development and Validation of the Self-Acceptance Scale for Persons with Early Blindness: The SAS-EB

Investigations of self-acceptance are critical to understanding the development and maintenance of psychological health. However, valid and reliable instruments for measuring self-acceptance in persons with early blindness have yet to be developed. The current research describes three studies designed to develop and validate the Self-acceptance Scale for Persons with Early Blindness (SAS-EB). In Study 1, we developed the initial item pool. Thirty-three items were generated, based on data from specialized literature and from 2 focus groups. Items were organized in a three-factor structure, theoretically predicted for SAS-EB - (1) body acceptance, (2) self-protection from social stigmas, and (3) feeling and believing in ones capacities. In Study 2, information obtained from a panel of 9 experts and 22 persons with early blindness representing the target population was used to refine the initial item pool, generating a new pool of 27 items. In Study 3, 318 persons with early blindness (141 women and 177 men), between 18 and 60 years of age (M = 37.74 years, SD = 12.37) answered the new pool of 27 items. After the elimination of 9 items using confirmatory factor analysis, we confirmed the theoretical three-factor structure of the SAS-EB. Study 3 also provided support for the scales internal consistency and construct validity. Finally, the psychometric properties of the SAS-EB, its utility, and its limitations are discussed along with considerations for future research.