[Psychometric Properties of the German Body Image States Scale (BISS)].

OBJECTIVE

Given the strong impact of body image on mental health, reliable and valid assessment tools are crucial. Currently, there is no validated German version of the Body Image States Scale (BISS), a measure of momentary (state-like) body image. Therefore, the present study aimed to translate the BISS into German and to psychometrically evaluate this German version.

METHOD: An online study (n=548 female, n=41 male, n=36 non-binary/agender) was conducted to assess the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the German-language version of the BISS. To experimentally examine state sensitivity, participants were randomly assigned to imagine a positive body image-related scenario, a negative body image-related scenario, or no scenario.

RESULTS

A confirmatory factor analysis supported a single-factor structure of the BISS. the German-language version demonstrated good internal consistency, state sensitivity, and convergent validity with measures of body satisfaction and eating disorder symptoms.

DISCUSSION: Overall, the BISS exhibited favorable psychometric properties, suggesting its suitability for use in research and clinical practice within German-speaking contexts. The availability of a validated German BISS facilitates a more accurate assessment of momentary body image fluctuations in clinical and research settings.