Psychometric properties of the Persian version of Body Image in Pregnancy Scale (BIPS)

Objective (s): Considering the consequences of body image of pregnant women on their quality of life and regarding the fact that valid and reliable assessment of body image in Iranian pregnant women are required, the present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Body Image in Pregnancy Scale (BIPS) in Iranian pregnant women. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. A sample of 151 pregnant women who were in their third trimester of pregnancy and referred to three hospitals in Tehran, Iran for pregnancy care, were selected using convenience sampling. To collect data, the Body Image in Pregnancy Scale (BIPS), the Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were used. In this study, the construct validity of the scale was assessed using exploratory factor analysis. The internal consistency was assessed via Cronbachchr('39')s alpha coefficient. Convergent validity assessment was examined by using the correlation between the Body Image in Pregnancy, the Body Image Concern Inventory and the Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale. Results: Cronbachchr('39')s alpha coefficient for the subscales ranged from 0.60 to 0.86. Exploratory factor analysis indicated good fit for scale with seven factors. The BIPS subscale scores demonstrated good convergent validity with measures of body image and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The Body Image in Pregnancy Scale has acceptable psychometric properties in Iranian women and could assess the body image during pregnancy.