Validation of the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MDDI) among Italian Women Practicing Bodybuilding and Powerlifting and in Women Practicing Physical Exercise

Silvia Cerea, Matteo Giraldo, Corrado Caudek, Gioia Bottesi, Antonio Paoli and Marta Ghisi
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Silvia Cerea: Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Matteo Giraldo: Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Corrado Caudek: Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
Gioia Bottesi: Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Antonio Paoli: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Marta Ghisi: Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-14

Abstract: Studies pertaining to muscle dysmorphia (MD) have concentrated the most on males. However, a new body ideal for women is emerging: a very toned, athletic body with flat, smooth muscles. The emphasis on the level of muscularity represents a contribution to the growth of MD symptoms in women. The aim of this study was to evaluate the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the muscle dysmorphic disorder inventory (MDDI) in two samples of physically active Italian women. One-hundred and sixty-five women practicing non-competing bodybuilding/powerlifting and 353 women practicing physical exercise completed the MDDI and measures of features associated with MD. Findings of the confirmatory factor analysis showed a three-factor structure with acceptable fit and invariant across groups. Omega coefficients revealed adequate internal consistency for all the scales and for the total score of the MDDI. Furthermore, convergent and divergent validity as well as retest reliability emerged to be good. MDDI represents a reliable measure of MD symptoms in physically active Italian women.

Keywords: muscle dysmorphia; muscle dysmorphic disorder inventory; women; physical exercise; bodybuilding; powerlifting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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