title: Validation of the Body Concealment Scale for Scleroderma (BCSS): Replication in the Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) Cohort.
abstract: Body concealment is an important component of appearance distress for individuals with disfiguring conditions, including scleroderma. The objective was to replicate the validation study of the Body Concealment Scale for Scleroderma (BCSS) among 897 scleroderma patients. The factor structure of the BCSS was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis and the Multiple-Indicator Multiple-Cause model examined differential item functioning of SWAP items for sex and age. Internal consistency reliability was assessed via Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed by comparing the BCSS with a measure of body image distress and measures of mental health and pain intensity. Results replicated the original validation study, where a bifactor model provided the best fit. The BCSS demonstrated strong internal consistency reliability and construct validity. Findings further support the BCSS as a valid measure of body concealment in scleroderma and provide new evidence that scores can be compared and combined across sexes and ages.
authors.affiliation: Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Lisa R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Jewett
authors.affiliation: Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Behavioural Science Institute, Clinical Psychology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kwakkenbos
authors.affiliation: Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Marie-Eve
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Carrier
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Vanessa L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Malcarne
authors.affiliation: Centre for Appearance Research, University of the West of England, Bristol, England, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harcourt
authors.affiliation: Centre for Appearance Research, University of the West of England, Bristol, England, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nichola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rumsey
authors.affiliation: University of Texas McGovern School of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Maureen D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mayes
authors.affiliation: University of Texas McGovern School of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Shervin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Assassi
authors.affiliation: Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Annett
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Körner
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Rina S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Shadi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gholizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.affiliation: Scleroderma Society of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fortune
authors.affiliation: Asociación Española de Esclerodermia, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Portales
authors.affiliation: Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada. Electronic address: brett.thombs@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Brett D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Thombs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Body concealment; Body image avoidance; Measurement; Scleroderma; Systemic sclerosis; disfigurement