Psychometric evaluation of the Bangla version of Body Image States Scale (B-BISS) for young adults in Bangladesh

Body image satisfaction is an important psychological construct that influences mental health and well-being, yet culturally adapted and validated tools are limited in Bangladesh. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Bangla Body Image States Scale (B-BISS) for measuring momentary body image states. A total of 579 young adults aged between 19 and 28 years, primarily university students of Bangladesh, were recruited through convenience sampling. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) supported a unidimensional structure, with a single factor explaining 82.5% of the variance. This structure was further confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), which demonstrated excellent model fit (CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.99, SRMR = 0.03, RMSEA = 0.10). Internal consistency was excellent, with Cronbach’s α = 0.97 and McDonald’s ω = 0.97. Measurement invariance indicated that the scale can be applied in the same way across gender. Additionally, convergent validity was established through significant correlations with related constructs, including psychological distress and self-compassion. B-BISS had positive association with self-compassion (r = 0.13, p <.001) and negative with psychological distress, including depression (r = -0.16, p <.001), anxiety (r = -0.09, p <.05), and stress (r = -0.12, p <.01). Overall, the B-BISS demonstrated robust psychometric properties, confirming its suitability as a sound measure for assessing body image states among young adults in Bangladesh. Measuring body image states can offer psychologists, psychotherapists, and researchers a better understanding of body image concerns and the targeted interventions to have better momentary body image states in young adults of Bangladesh.