title: Psychometric properties of a French version of a Dutch scale for assessing breast and body image (BBIS) in healthy women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Genetic testing among women for BRCA1/2 mutation can have various psychological effects, such as those focusing on body image. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a generic scale assessing breast and body image (BBIS) in healthy women tested for BRCA1/2 mutations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Dutch body image scale focusing on both general and breast-related body image was translated into French. It was presented to a French cohort of female cancer-free BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and non-carriers (N = 568). The psychometric properties of the scale were studied by assessing its dimensional and factorial structure, internal consistency, construct-related validity, and external validity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The scale was found to be a satisfactory psychometric tool for assessing both body image and breast image. The three main dimensions which emerged were classified under the headings "values attached to body image", "satisfaction with body image and perceived attractiveness", and "satisfaction with breasts". The BBIS scores were not significantly associated with the participants' socio-demographic characteristics or their BRCA1/2 mutation carrier status, but significant associations were observed between these scores and the women's medical and behavioural characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The BBIS is a generic tool which can be used to assess body image in either affected or unaffected women. The scale will have to be administered to other populations in order to confirm its validity.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, U912, SESSTIM, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Noémie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Resseguier
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Noguès
authors.forename: Roch
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giorgi
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Julian-Reynier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D001940:Breast / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D009426:Netherlands; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014175:Translating