Weight stigma exposure inventory (WeSEI): Adaptation to Turkish culture, validity and reliability study

Weight stigma is prevalent in society, with various sources, including family, friends, and media, contributing to individuals' experiences and internalization of weight stigma. The present study involved the adaptation of the Weight Stigma Exposure Inventory (WeSEI; Ruckwongpatr et al., 2025) into Turkish. This psychometric tool is designed to measure the impact of weight stigma from diverse sources on individuals. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed to determine whether the original factor structure of the inventory was preserved in the Turkish version. Additionally, assessments of internal consistency, concurrent validity with external criterion measures (including the Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, Perceived Weight Stigma Scale, and Smartphone Application-Based Addiction), and analyses of sex differences were conducted. Internal consistency of the inventory was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's ω. The findings indicate that the seven-factor model and the discriminant validity of the inventory exhibited satisfactory fit indices. Furthermore, the total inventory and all its sub-dimensions demonstrated positive correlations with the external criterion scales, and both the total inventory and its sub-dimensions displayed good internal consistency. Notably, sex significantly influenced the average scores. Based on these results, the Turkish version of the WeSEI is deemed a valid and reliable instrument for future weight stigma research in Türkiye.