Construct Validity of the Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale in a Community Sample of French Adolescents

Abstract

The main objective of the present series of studies was to test the construct validity (i.e., content, factorial, and convergent validities) of the Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale (FNAES) in a community sample of French adolescents. A total sample of 683 adolescents was involved in three studies. The factorial validity and the measurement invariance of the FNAES were verified through a series of confirmatory factor analyses. The convergent validity of the FNAES was then verified through correlational analyses. The first study showed that the content and formulation of the French FNAES items were adequate for children and adolescents. The following two studies (Studies 2 to 3) provided (a) support for the factor validity, reliability, and convergent validity of a five-item French version of the FNAES, and (b) partial support for the measurement invariance of the resulting FNAES across genders. However, the latent mean structure of the FNAES did not prove to be invariant across genders, revealing a significantly higher latent mean score of FNAES in girls relative to boys. The present results, thus, provide preliminary evidence regarding the construct validity of the FNAES in a community sample of French adolescents. Recommendations for future practice and research regarding this instrument are outlined.