Development and initial validation of the body dysmorphic disorder scale for youth

Background: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterised by excessive preoccupation with an imagined defect in one's physical appearance, and symptoms of the condition generally emerge during adolescence. Current measures of BDD are generally outdated, lack appropriate wording, and/or are not validated in adolescent and young adult (AYA) samples. Methods: The current study examined the psychometric properties of a newly developed measure of BDD symptomatology, the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Scale for Youth (BDDSY), in a sample of 321 participants aged 12–25 years (mean age = 20.42, SD = 3.41; 64% female). Results: The BDDSY (Screener) demonstrated good concurrent validity. The BDDSY (Severity) demonstrated a unidimensional construct [χ2 (90) = 403.35, p <.001; SRMR =.07 and CFI =.95], with excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α =.93, Coefficient H =.95, and McDonald's Omega =.95). The measure demonstrated sound convergent validity with existing measures of BDD symptomatology, though divergent validity with the Separation Anxiety Disorder Dimensional Scale, Life Orientation Test- Revised, and the General Self Efficacy Scale was not demonstrated in this study. Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that the BDDSY is a brief, valid, and reliable measure of BDD symptoms that may be used in the future to potentially screen for BDD in AYA and measure treatment outcome.