Body Image Quality of Life Inventory: cross-national study in college students from four different countries

Purpose: This study was aimed to examine the psychometric proprieties of the Body Image Quality of Life Inventory (BIQLI) among Brazilian, Portuguese, Mozambican, and Italian college students. Methods: A total of 1630 subjects (Brazilians = 446; Portuguese = 480, Mozambicans = 360, and Italians = 344) completed the Portuguese (Brazilian, Portuguese, and Mozambican students) and the Italian versions (Italian students) of the BIQLI for measuring the effects of body image on one’s quality of life. Psychometric testing included confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), discriminant and convergent validity, internal consistency, and composite reliability. The cross-national invariance of the BIQLI was assessed by multi-group analysis using ΔCFI. Moreover, the global score of the BIQLI for all countries was calculated by an algorithm and compared using the Welch’s ANOVA and the Games–Howell post-test (α = 5%). Results: CFA showed an inadequate fit of unifactorial model of the BIQLI. Therefore, an alternative model comprising nine first-order factors and one second-order factor was proposed and evaluated. This new model showed adequate fit in all samples, despite some limitations that were found with respect to its convergent and discriminant validity. The alternative BIQLI model was invariant among countries. Global scores for the influence of body image on quality of life were significantly different across countries, with the Italians presenting the lowest scores. Conclusions: The BIQLI factorial model found in this study represents a reliable and valid alternative to its original structure for the assessment of the effect of body image on college students’ perceived quality of life. This model must be further tested in other populations. Level of evidence: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.