Adaptation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Appearance- Related Social Media Consciousness Scale (ASMC) in Argentina

The widespread use of social media has raised concerns about its impact on body image,particularly through the internalization of appearance ideals. This study aimed to adapt andevaluate the psychometric properties of the Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness(ASMC) scale for the Argentine population. A total of 751 adults participated. The scalewas translated, culturally adapted, and examined through exploratory and confirmatoryfactor analyses. Results supported a one-factor structure consistent with the original scale,with adequate internal consistency and marginal model fit even after adding theoreticallyinformed modifications. Only configural invariance across gender was supported; metricinvariance was not established. This adapted version of the ASMC scale shows promiseas a reliable tool for assessing appearance-related consciousness in social media contextsin Argentina, though further refinement and validation work is warranted. These findingsemphasize the importance of considering digital environments when evaluating bodyimage concerns and provide a foundation for future research and interventions. The studycontributes to cross-cultural research on the psychological effects of social media andhighlights the need for locally validated instruments in global media contexts