Not just bodies to be viewed, but bodies that do: A study on the Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS) in Italian adolescents

Functionality appreciation - a key facet of positive body image - has been associated with several adaptive outcomes, such as low body dissatisfaction and eating disorder (ED) symptoms, and high psychological well-being. However, research on this topic remains limited among Italian adolescents, likely due to the absence of validated tools to assess functionality appreciation in this population. Expanding this line of inquiry is crucial, as adolescence marks a shift toward valuing appearance over functionality, especially within Italy's highly appearance-oriented culture. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS) in a sample of 1289 Italian adolescents (60.8 % girls) aged 13-17 years (M = 15.4 years ± 1.18). Participants completed the FAS together with measures of body appreciation, body surveillance, body dissatisfaction, ED symptoms, and self-esteem. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a unidimensional model of the FAS, with all 7 items retained. Moreover, the questionnaire demonstrated invariance across sex and age groups (i.e., early vs. middle adolescents). Boys reported significantly higher FAS scores than girls, while no differences emerged between age groups. The FAS also showed excellent internal consistency, as well as good convergent, criterion-related, and incremental validity. Overall, these findings provide robust evidence that the FAS is a psychometrically sound and developmentally appropriate tool for assessing functionality appreciation in Italian boys and girls. Its use may thus support future research on positive body image in adolescence and lay the groundwork for studies exploring its potential relevance in preventive programs.