Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of the Body, Eating, and Exercise Comparison Orientation Measure in Turkish Female University Students

Abstract

Introduction: Body comparison intervention may be a key way of preventing the risk of eating disorders; however, no validated measure exists to evaluate this construct in Turkey. This study translates the body, eating, and exercise comparison orientation measure (BEECOM) into the Turkish language and assesses its reliability and validity among Turkish university students.Methods: This study was conducted with 388 female university students in a single center in Ankara, Turkey, between November 2018 and March 2019. Participants with a diagnosis or history of eating disorders were excluded. Reliability, validity, and test-retest relationships were examined. Cronbach’s alpha analysis was performed to evaluate reliability and Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to determine the test-retest reliability. The validity of the scale was evaluated with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).Results: The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the BEECOM was 0.841 and the test-retest reliability was 0.716. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis (χ2/df = 0.828) and satisfactory model fit statistics (RMSEA = 0.000, GFI = 0.991) were sufficient. When the confirmatory factor analyses are examined, all subscales, body, eating, and exercise, are statistically significant.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the Turkish version of the BEECOM is a valid and reliable measurement and can be used to investigate social comparisons related to body, eating, and exercise among Turkish women.