Click here to download

Appearance commentary by partner: Italian validation of Verbal Commentary on Physical Appearance Scale-Partner
Journal Title: PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE 
Author/s: Giulia Rosa Policardo, Amanda Nerini, Camilla Matera, Cristian Di Gesto, Cristina Stefanile 
Year:  2020 Issue: 2 Language: Italian 
Pages:  19 Pg. 121-139 FullText PDF:  755 KB
DOI:  10.3280/PDS2020-002006
(DOI is like a bar code for intellectual property: to have more infomation:  clicca qui   and here 


The aim of the present study was to investigate the factor structure of the Italian version of the Verbal Commentary on Physical Appearance Scale-Partner (VCOPAS-P; Carriere e Kluck, 2014), which assesses comments on physical appearance received from one’s partner. The participants were 313 Italian women. Item analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed; the convergent validity of the scale was tested by examining correlations between the VCOPAS-P and both the Body Shape Questionnaire-14 (BSQ-14) and the Couple Satis-faction Scale (CSS). In line with the original version of the scale, the trifactorial structure of VCOPAS-P was confirmed in the Italian version: Negative Weight and Shape (NWS = 9 item; α = 0.87), Positive Weight and Shape (PWS = 4 item; a= 0.70), Positive General Ap-pearance Subscale (PGA = 7 item; a= 0.87). With regard to convergent validity, the NWS and PWS subscales significantly correlated with body dissatisfaction; both PWS and PGA subscales significantly correlated with dyadic satisfaction. These findings suggest that the VCOPAS-P can be a useful and reliable instrument for the measure of the comments on phys-ical appearance received from one’s partner among Italian women.
Keywords: Verbal Commentary on Physical Appearance Scale (VCOPAS); body dissatisfac-tion; validation; couple relationship.

  1. Arbuckle J.L. and Worthke, W. (2005). SPSS® AMOS™ 6.0 User’s Guide. Spring House, PA: Amos Development Corporation.
  2. Ata R.N., Ludden A.B. and Lally M.M. (2007). The effects of gender and family, friend, and media influences on eating behaviors and body image during adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36(8): 1024-1037.
  3. Bergstrom G., Jensen I.B., Bodin L., Linton S.J., Nygren A.L. and Carlsson S.G. (1998). Reliability and factor structure of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory. Pain, 75, 101-110.
  4. Burnham K.P. and Anderson D.R. (2004). Multimodel inference: understanding AIC and BIC in model selection. Sociological Methods & Research, 33(2): 261-304., DOI: 10.1177/004912410426864
  5. Calogero R.M., Herbozo S. and Thompson J.K. (2009). Complimentary weightism: The potential costs of appearance‐related commentary for women’s self‐objectification. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 33(1): 120-132.
  6. Cangur S. and Ercan I. (2015). Comparison of model fit indices used in structural equation modeling under multivariate normality. Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods, 14(1): 152-167.
  7. Carriere L.J. and Kluck A.S. (2014). Appearance commentary from romantic partners: Evaluation of an adapted measure. Body Image, 11(2): 137-145.
  8. Cash T.F., Theriault J. and Annis N.M. (2004). Body image in an interpersonal context: Adult attachment, fear of intimacy and social anxiety. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23(1): 89-103.
  9. Dakanalis A., Carrà G., Calogero R., Fida R., Clerici M., Zanetti M.A. and Riva G. (2015). The developmental effects of media-ideal internalization and self-objectification processes on adolescents’ negative body-feelings, dietary restraint, and binge eating. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 24(8): 997-1010.
  10. Donovan C.L., Spence S.H. and Sheffield J.K. (2006). Investigation of a model of weight restricting behaviour amongst adolescent girls. European Eating Disorders Review: The Professional Journal of the Eating Disorders Association, 14(6): 468-484.
  11. Doohan E.A.M. and Manusov V. (2004). The communication of compliments in romantic relationships: An investigation of relational satisfaction and sex differences and similarities in compliment behavior. Western Journal of Communication, 68(2): 170-194., DOI: 10.1080/1057031040937479
  12. Dowson J. and Henderson L. (2001). The validity of a short version of the Body Shape Questionnaire. Psychiatry Research, 102(3): 263-271., DOI: 10.1016/S0165-1781(01)00254-
  13. Eisenberg M.E., Berge J.M., Fulkerson J.A. and Neumark-Sztainer D. (2011). Weight comments by family and significant others in young adulthood. Body Image, 8(1): 12-19.
  14. Eisenberg M.E., Franz R., Berge J.M., Loth K.A. and Neumark-Sztainer D. (2017). Significant others’ weight-related comments and their associations with weight-control behavior, muscle-enhancing behavior, and emotional well-being. Families, Systems, & Health, 35(4): 474-481.
  15. Evans L. and Stukas A.A. (2007). Self-verification by women and responses of their partners around issues of appearance and weight: “Do I look fat in this?”. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 26(10): 1163-1188.
  16. Fitzsimmons-Craft E.E. and Bardone-Cone A.M. (2012). Examining prospective mediation models of body surveillance, trait anxiety, and body dissatisfaction in African American and Caucasian college women. Sex Roles, 67(3-4): 187-200.
  17. Goins L.B., Markey C.N. and Gillen M.M. (2012). Understanding men’s body image in the context of their romantic relationships. American Journal of Men’s Health, 6(3): 240-248., DOI: 10.1177/155798831143100
  18. Goldfield G. S., Moore C., Henderson K., Buchholz A., Obeid N. and Flament M. (2010). The relation between weight-based teasing and psychological adjustment in adolescents. Paediatrics and Child Health, 15(5): 283-288.
  19. Goldsmith K.M. and Byers E.S. (2016). Perceived impact of body feedback from romantic partners on young adults’ body image and sexual well-being. Body Image, 17: 161-170.
  20. Green S.B. and Hershberger S.L. (2000). Correlated errors in true score models and their effect on coefficient alpha. Structural Equation Modeling, 7(2): 251-270., DOI: 10.1207/S15328007SEM0702_
  21. Grogan S. (2016). Body image: Understanding body dissatisfaction in men, women and children. London: Routledge.
  22. Herbozo S. and Thompson J.K. (2006). Appearance-related commentary, body image, and self-esteem: Does the distress associated with the commentary matter?. Body Image, 3(3): 255-262.
  23. Herbozo S. and Thompson J.K. (2009). Positive and negative appearance-related feedback and weight status. Eating and Weight Disorders-Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 14(4): 234-236., DOI: 10.1007/BF0332512
  24. Herbozo S., Menzel J.E. and Thompson J.K. (2013). Differences in appearance-related commentary, body dissatisfaction, and eating disturbance among college women of varying weight groups. Eating Behaviors, 14(2): 204-206.
  25. ISS (2012). Conferenza di consenso: Disturbi del Comportamento Alimentare (DCA) negli adolescenti e nei giovani adulti. Retrieved from: http://old.iss.it/binary/publ/cont/tredici6web.pdf
  26. Jones D. C., Vigfusdottir T. H., and Lee Y. (2004). Body image and the appearance culture among adolescent girls and boys: An examination of friend conversations, peer criticism, appearance magazines, and the internalization of appearance ideals. Journal of Adolescent Research, 19(3): 323-339., DOI: 10.1177/074355840325884
  27. Marigold D.C., Holmes J.G. and Ross M. (2007). More than words: reframing compliments from romantic partners fosters security in low self-esteem individuals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(2): 232-248., DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.92.2.23
  28. Markey C.N., Markey P.M. and Birch L.L. (2001). Interpersonal predictors of dieting practices among married couples. Journal of Family Psychology, 15(3): 464-475., DOI: 10.1037/0893-3200.15.3.46
  29. Matera C., Nerini A., e Stefanile C. (2013). Misurare l’insoddisfazione corporea: Validazione della versione italiana del Body Shape Questionnaire-14 (BSQ-14). Counseling, 6(2): 235-244.
  30. McLaren L., Kuh D., Hardy R. and Gauvin L. (2004). Positive and negative body-related comments and their relationship with body dissatisfaction in middle-aged women. Psychology & Health, 19(2): 261-272., DOI: 10.1080/088704403100014824
  31. Menzel J.E., Schaefer L.M., Burke NL., Mayhew L.L., Brannick M.T. and Thompson J.K. (2010). Appearance-related teasing, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating: A meta-analysis. Body Image, 7(1): 261-270.
  32. Mousa T.Y., Mashal R.H., Al-Domi H.A. and Jibril M.A. (2010). Body image dissatisfaction among adolescent schoolgirls in Jordan. Body Image, 7(1): 46-50.
  33. Overall J. and Klett C.J. (1972). Applied multi-variate analysis. New York: McGraw-Hill.
  34. Pirani E. and Matera C. (2018). Ruolo della famiglia di origine nella relazione tra corporeità e sessualità. Paper presented at the Workshop Selfy, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni, Università degli Studi di Firenze, 17-18 settembre 2018.
  35. Policardo G. R., Matera C., Nerini A., e Stefanile C. (2018). Tu come mi vedi? Commenti del partner circa l’aspetto fisico, immagine corporea e soddisfazione di coppia: uno studio empirico. Psicologia della Salute, 2: 137-157., DOI: 10.3280/PDS2018-00201
  36. Puhl R.M., and Luedicke J. (2012). Weight-based victimization among adolescents in the school setting: Emotional reactions and coping behaviors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 41(1): 27–40.
  37. Puhl R.M., Wall M.M., Chen C., Austin S.B., Eisenberg M.E. and Neumark-Sztainer D. (2017). Experiences of weight teasing in adolescence and weight-related outcomes in adulthood: a 15-year longitudinal study. Preventive medicine, 100, 173-179.
  38. Raffagnino R. e Matera C. (2015). Assessing Relationship Satisfaction: Development and Validation of the Dyadic-Familial Relationship Satisfaction Scale. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 14(4): 322-341., DOI: 10.1080/15332691.2014.975305
  39. Rousseau A., La Roque S., Gasperini C. and Valls M. (2014). Validation française de la verbal commentary on Physical Appearance Scale. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue Canadienne des Sciences du Comportement, 46(4): 535-542.
  40. Sheets V. and Ajmere K. (2005). Are romantic partners a source of college students’ weight concern?. Eating Behaviors, 6(1): 1-9.
  41. Schuster E., Negy C. and Tantleff-Dunn S. (2013). The effects of appearance-related commentary on body dissatisfaction, eating pathology, and body change behaviors in men. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 14(1): 76-87.
  42. Stefanile C., Pisani E., Matera C. e Guiderdoni V. (2010). “Insoddisfazione corporea, comportamento alimentare e fattori di influenza socioculturale in adolescenza”. Contributo presentato al VIII Convegno Nazionale SIPCO Problemi Umani e Sociali della Convivenza.
  43. Stefanile C., Nerini A. e Matera C. (2016). “Commenti verbali da parte del partner, insoddisfazione corporea e soddisfazione di coppia in giovani adulti”. In: XIV Congresso Nazionale della Sezione di Psicologia Sociale della Associazione Italiana di Psicologia, Napoli (Italy), 22-24 settembre 2016.
  44. Stice E. (2002). Risk and maintenance factors for eating pathology: a meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 128(5): 825-848., DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.128.5.82
  45. Swami V., Waters L. and Furnham A. (2010). Perceptions and meta-perceptions of self and partner physical attractiveness. Personality and Individual Differences, 49(7): 811-814.
  46. Talwar R., Carter J.D. and Gleaves D.H. (2012). New Zealand female body image: What roles do ethnicity and body mass play. Doctoral dissertation, New Zealand Psychological Society.
  47. Tantleff-Dunn S., Thompson J.K. and Dunn M.E. (1995). The Feedback on Physical Appearance Scale (FOPAS): questionnaire development and psychometric evaluation. Eating Disorders, 3(4): 332-341., DOI: 10.1080/1064026950825006
  48. Thompson J.K., Cattarin J., Fowler B. and Fisher E. (1995). The perception of teasing scale (POTS): A revision and extension of the physical appearance related teasing scale (PARTS). Journal of Personality Assessment, 65(1): 146-157.
  49. Thompson J.K., Fabian L.J., Moulton D.O., Dunn M.E. and Altabe M.N. (1991). Development and validation of the physical appearance related teasing scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 56(3): 513-521.
  50. Thompson J.K., Heinberg L.J., Altabe M. and Tantleff-Dunn S. (1999). Exacting beauty: Theory, assessment, and treatment of body image disturbance. Washington DC: American Psychological Association., DOI: 10.1037/10312-00
  51. Tiggemann M., Verri A. and Scaravaggi S. (2005). Body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, fashion magazines, and clothes: A cross‐cultural comparison between Australian and Italian young women. International Journal of Psychology 40(5): 293-302., DOI: 10.1080/0020759044400031
  52. Wertheim E., Paxton S. and Blaney S.M. (2004). Risk factors for the development of body image disturbances. Handbook of eating disorders and obesity. United States of America: Wiley.
  53. West S.G., Finch J.F. and Curran P.J. (1995). Structural equation models with non normal variables: problems and remedies. In: Hoyle R.H., ed., Structural Equation Modeling: Concepts, Issues, and Applications, Sage, Thousand Oaks, 56-75.

Giulia Rosa Policardo, Amanda Nerini, Camilla Matera, Cristian Di Gesto, Cristina Stefanile, Appearance commentary by partner: Italian validation of Verbal Commentary on Physical Appearance Scale-Partner in "PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE" 2/2020, pp. 121-139, DOI:10.3280/PDS2020-002006

   

FrancoAngeli is a member of Publishers International Linking Association a not for profit orgasnization wich runs the CrossRef service, enabing links to and from online scholarly content