ELoriCorps Immersive Body Rating Scale and eLoriCorps Mobile Versions: Validation to Assess Body Image Disturbances from Allocentric and Egocentric Perspectives in a Nonclinical Sample of Adolescents.

Johana Monthuy-Blanc,Giulia Corno,Audrey Charette,Francisca Bourbeau,Marilou Ouellet,Nicolas Moreau,Fadel Touré,Stéphane Bouchard,Normand Roy,Michel Rousseau,Vicky Drapeau,Marie-Eve Mathieu

doi:10.3390/jcm11051156

Abstract

A growing number of studies have used virtual reality (VR) for the assessment and treatment of body image disturbances (BIDs). This study, conducted in a community sample of adolescents, documents the convergent and discriminant validity between (a) the traditional paper-based Figure Rating Scale (paper-based FRS), (b) the VR-based Body Rating Scale (eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1), and (c) the mobile app-based Body Rating Scale (eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1-Mobile). A total of 93 adolescents (14 to 18 years old) participated in the study. Body dissatisfaction and body distortion were assessed through the paper-based FRS, the eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1 and the eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1-Mobile. Eating disorder symptoms, body image avoidance, and social physique anxiety were also measured. Correlation analyses were performed. Overall, the results showed a good and statistically significant convergence between allocentric perspectives as measured by the paper-based FRS, the eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1 and the eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1-Mobile. As expected, the egocentric perspective measured in VR produced different results from the allocentric perspective, and from cognitive–attitudinal–affective dimensions of BIDs, with the exception of body distortion. These differences support the discriminant validity of the egocentric perspective of eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1 and are consistent with emerging evidence, highlighting a difference between experiencing the body from an egocentric (i.e., the body as a subject) and allocentric (i.e., the body as an object) perspective. The egocentric perspective could reflect a perceptual–sensory–affective construction of BIDs, whereas allocentric measures seem to be more related to a cognitive–affective–attitudinal construction of BIDs. Moreover, the results support the validity of the eLoriCorps-IBRS 1.1-Mobile with promising perspectives of implementation among young populations.

Highlights

body image disturbances (BIDs) in egocentric and allocentric perspectives and other constructs associated with BIDs, such as eating disorder symptoms (EDI-A), body image avoidance (BIAQ-A), and social physique anxiety (SPAS-12)
Concerning the exploratory discriminant analyses, the different strengths of relationships between dimensions of BIDs in egocentric and allocentric perspectives and other attitudinal–affective–cognitive variables associated with BIDs, such as eating disorders symptoms (EDI-A), body image avoidance (BIAQ-A), and social physique anxiety (SPAS-12), are further discussed in the following paragraphs
As expected, when comparing it with the validation of the eLoriCorps-IRBS 1.0 in a community sample of adults, the egocentric perspective measured in virtual reality (VR) produced different results compared to all measures from the allocentric perspective [paper-based FRS, eLoriCorps (-IBRS 1.1 and -IBRS 1.1-Mobile)] and from cognitive–attitudinal–affective dimensions of BIDs (EDI-A, Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire (BIAQ-A) and SPAS-12)

Summary

Introduction

According to Cazale, Paquette and Bernèche [7], 41% of adolescent females report being dissatisfied with their body and wanting to be thinner, while 8% report wanting to be heavier. Body image disturbances (BIDs, mainly body dissatisfaction and body distortion) are relevant among youth, and especially during adolescence. During this period, BIDs present major risk factors for the development, maintenance and relapse of eating disorders (EDs) [8,9], such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder [10,11,12,13,14,15]. Some studies suggest that the level of body dissatisfaction can vary across different age groups [16,17]

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Discussion

Conclusion