TY - JOUR
T1 - A validation study of the Italian version of the Attitudes Toward Obese Persons (I-ATOP) questionnaire
AU - Zagaria, Andrea
AU - Mocini, Edoardo
AU - Cerolini, Silvia
AU - Donini, Lorenzo Maria
AU - Castelnuovo, Gianluca
AU - Manzoni, Gian Mauro
AU - Pietrabissa, Giada
AU - Lombardo, Caterina
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Objectives: Weight bias is defined as negative attitudes towards, and beliefs about, others because of their weight. Like other forms of stigma, weight stigma has a harmful impact on health, including depressive symptoms, disordered eating, body image disturbances and poor quality of life. Several instruments measuring weight related attitudes have been developed, such as the Attitudes Toward Obese Persons (ATOP). The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the ATOP (I-ATOP). Methods: The ATOP was adapted into Italian following the back-translation procedure. A total of 800 participants (Mage = 31.40; 54.9% females) completed the I-ATOP alongside the Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on half of the sample, while the remaining half was selected to cross-validate the resulting solution via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Factorial invariance tests across gender were computed using multi-group CFA. Results: EFA suggested a one-factor structure with four items excluded due to their low standardised loadings. The trimmed model was cross-validated showing an acceptable fit to the data: MLR chi 2 = 159.467 (df = 81); RMSEA = 0.049; CFI = 0.939; TLI = 0.910; SRMR = 0.046. An omega coefficient of 0.818 confirmed the strong reliability of the I-ATOP. Convergent validity was demonstrated by a significant and moderate correlation with the WBIS. Configural, metric, and scalar invariance across gender were established. Conclusions: I-ATOP demonstrated to be a valid and reliable instrument useful for both clinical and research practices, as well as to support the development of educational and therapeutic actions able to reduce the stigma among the general public.
AB - Objectives: Weight bias is defined as negative attitudes towards, and beliefs about, others because of their weight. Like other forms of stigma, weight stigma has a harmful impact on health, including depressive symptoms, disordered eating, body image disturbances and poor quality of life. Several instruments measuring weight related attitudes have been developed, such as the Attitudes Toward Obese Persons (ATOP). The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the ATOP (I-ATOP). Methods: The ATOP was adapted into Italian following the back-translation procedure. A total of 800 participants (Mage = 31.40; 54.9% females) completed the I-ATOP alongside the Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on half of the sample, while the remaining half was selected to cross-validate the resulting solution via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Factorial invariance tests across gender were computed using multi-group CFA. Results: EFA suggested a one-factor structure with four items excluded due to their low standardised loadings. The trimmed model was cross-validated showing an acceptable fit to the data: MLR chi 2 = 159.467 (df = 81); RMSEA = 0.049; CFI = 0.939; TLI = 0.910; SRMR = 0.046. An omega coefficient of 0.818 confirmed the strong reliability of the I-ATOP. Convergent validity was demonstrated by a significant and moderate correlation with the WBIS. Configural, metric, and scalar invariance across gender were established. Conclusions: I-ATOP demonstrated to be a valid and reliable instrument useful for both clinical and research practices, as well as to support the development of educational and therapeutic actions able to reduce the stigma among the general public.
KW - Psychometric properties
KW - Validation study
KW - Weight attitudes
KW - Weight bias
KW - Weight stereotypes
KW - Weight stigma
KW - Psychometric properties
KW - Validation study
KW - Weight attitudes
KW - Weight bias
KW - Weight stereotypes
KW - Weight stigma
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/222345
U2 - 10.1016/j.orcp.2022.05.004
DO - 10.1016/j.orcp.2022.05.004
M3 - Article
SN - 1871-403X
VL - 16
SP - 262
EP - 268
JO - OBESITY RESEARCH & CLINICAL PRACTICE
JF - OBESITY RESEARCH & CLINICAL PRACTICE
ER -