Abstract

MEZA-PENA, Cecilia  and  GUTIERREZ-MUNOZ, Mayra Lucero. Factorial invariance by sex and cut-off points of the body image control questionnaire in photographs in Mexican population. CienciaUAT [online]. 2023, vol.18, n.1, pp.95-106.  Epub Sep 29, 2023. ISSN 2007-7858.  https://doi.org/10.29059/cienciauat.v18i1.1724.

Body varies throughout life. Physical changes that take place during teenage years may influence the development of risky behaviors related to eating disorders. Although social and cultural factors affect body image, modern forms of interaction with technology, particularly social networks, allow controlling the self-presentation of body image in the photographs that are published, which could serve as an indicator of risky eating behaviors. The aim of this study was to establish the association of risky eating behaviors with the body image control in photographies, to analyze the factorial invariance by sex and to propose cut-off points in the Mexican population. The sample consisted of 1 155 adolescents (51.3 % males and 48.7 % females), with a mean age of 15.18 years. The BICP-S was used, in addition to the risky eating behaviors questionnaire (CAR). The results showed a relationship between risky eating behaviors and image control in photographs. The factorial structure of the BICP-S varies according to sex, so different cut-off points of the questionnaire are proposed, where those located at the 85th percentile indicate risk about body image concerns in women, while in men it is established at the 92nd percentile, with a high reliability in image control in both groups (α > 0.90). It is concluded that the questionnaire has clinical utility for the detection of at-risk youth who may have serious body image concerns, which if continued can be a risk factor for eating disorders.

Keywords : body image; image control; factorial invariance; cut-off points; adolescents.

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