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Chapter 56 - Broad Conceptualization of Beauty Scale (BCBS)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2025

By
Tracy L. Tylka
Edited by
Virginia Ramseyer Winter ,
Tracy L. Tylka  and
Antoinette M. Landor
Virginia Ramseyer Winter
Affiliation:
University of Minnesota
Tracy L. Tylka
Affiliation:
Ohio State University
Antoinette M. Landor
Affiliation:
University of Missouri
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Summary

The 9-item Broad Conceptualization of Beauty Scale (Tylka & Iannantuono, 2016) assesses the extent to which individuals are able to perceive a wide range of physical appearances as beautiful, whether these appearances are largely unchangeable (e.g., body shape) or more easily modifiable (e.g., personal style, dress), and draw from inner characteristics (e.g., confidence, self-acceptance) when defining beauty. While originally designed for female respondents, the BCBS was modified to be gender neutral. The BCBS can be administered online or in-person to adolescents and adults and is free to use. This chapter first discusses the development of the BCBS and then provides evidence of its psychometrics. More specifically, the BCBS has been found to have a unidimensional factor structure within exploratory and/or confirmatory factor analyses. Internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and incremental validity support the use of the BCBS. Next, this chapter provides the BCBS items in their entirety, instructions for administering the BCBS to participants, the item response scale, and the scoring procedure. Links to known translations are included. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and contact information, are available for readers.

Keywords

Broad Conceptualization of Beauty ScaleBCBSitemsdefinitions of beautyphysical appearancebroadly defining beautyscale developmentpsychometric evidencefactor structurereliabilityvalidityadministrationscoringtranslations

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Chapter
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Handbook of Body Image-Related Measures , pp. 173 - 175
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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References

Holmqvist, K., & Frisén, A. (2012). “I bet they aren’t that perfect in reality”: Appearance ideals viewed from the perspective of adolescents with a positive body image. Body Image, 9(3), 388–395. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2012.03.007.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Junqueira, A. C. P., Tylka, T. L., Almeida, S. D. S., Costa, T. M. B., & Laus, M. F. (2021). Translation and validation of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Broad Conceptualization of Beauty Scale with Brazilian women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 45(3), 351–371. https://doi.org/10.1177/03616843211013459CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Modica, C. A., DiLillo, V., & Swami, V. (2023). Measurement invariance of the Broad Conceptualization of Beauty Scale (BCBS) across Black, Hispanic, and White women in the United States. Body Image, 44, 69–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.11.008.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Swami, V., & Barron, D. (2019). Translation and validation of body image instruments: Challenges, good practice guidelines, and reporting recommendations for test adaptation. Body Image, 31, 204–220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2018.08.014.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Swami, V., Todd, J., & Barron, D. (2021). Translation and validation of body image instruments: An addendum to Swami and Barron (2019) in the form of frequently asked questions. Body Image, 37, 214–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.03.002.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tylka, T. L., & Iannantuono, A. C. (2016). Perceiving beauty in all women: Psychometric evaluation of the Broad Conceptualization of Beauty Scale. Body Image, 17, 67–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.02.005.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tylka, T. L., & Wood-Barcalow, N. L. (2015). The Body Appreciation Scale-2: Item refinement and psychometric evaluation. Body Image, 12, 53–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.09.006.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wood-Barcalow, N. L., Tylka, T. L., & Augustus-Horvath, C. L. (2010). “But I like my body”: Positive body image characteristics and a holistic model for young-adult women. Body Image, 7(2), 106–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2010.01.001.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wood-Barcalow, N. L., Tylka, T. L., & Judge, C. L. (2021). Positive Body Image Workbook: A Clinical and Self-Improvement Guide. Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

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