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Chapter 58 - Children’s Body Image Scale (CBIS)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2025

By
Helen Truby ,
Aleisha Bliesner  and
Susan Paxton
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 Children’s Body Image Scale (Truby & Paxton, 2002) is a simple pictorial representation of body size perception. Each body figure represents a body shape based on measured body mass index (BMI) across standard BMI percentiles for pre-pubertal boys and girls. The Children’s Body Image Scale is designed to be administered in-person to children aged 7-12 years. It is free to use in any setting. This chapter first discusses the development of the Children’s Body Image Scale, provides details of its psychometric qualities and how to use it in a practice or research setting. Internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability are described including updated versions that align with changes to international percentile for body mass index. This chapter provides the Children’s Body Image in its entirety, instructions for administration, the item response scale, and the scoring procedure. Measures of cognitive and behavioral body image validated for use in this age group should be utilized in conjunction with the CBIS to obtain a comprehensive assessment of body image. There are various formats available, including images with a face that has Caucasian or Asian features and one with blurry features. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and contact information, are provided for readers.

Keywords

Children’s Body Image Scalebody mass indexbody image perceptionbody size satisfactionscale developmentreliabilityadministration

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Chapter
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Handbook of Body Image-Related Measures , pp. 179 - 182
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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References

Cole, T. J., Freeman, J. V., & Preece, M. A. (1995). Body mass index reference curves for the UK, 1990. Archives of Diseases in Childhood, 73(1), 25–29. https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.73.1.25.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cole, T. J., & Lobstein, T. (2012). Extended international (IOTF) body mass index cut-offs for thinness, overweight and obesity. Pediatric Obesity, 7(4), 284–294. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2047-6310.2012.00064.x.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kuczmarski, R., Ogden, C., & Gao, S. (2002). 2000 CDC growth charts for the United States Methods and development. National Centre for Health Statistics. Vital Health Statistics 11(246).Google Scholar
Mendelson, B. K., Mendelson, M. J., & White, D. R. (2001). Body-Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults. Journal of Personality Assessment, 76(1), 90–106. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327752JPA7601_6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Paxton, S. J., & Damiano, S. R. (2017). The development of body image and weight bias in childhood. In Benson, J. B. (Ed.), Advances in Child Development and Behavior, ACDB (pp. 269–298). Academic Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/bs.acdb.2016.10.006Google Scholar
Spurrier, N. J., Magarey, A., & Wong, C. (2006). Recognition and management of childhood overweight and obesity by clinicians. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 42, 411–418. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1754.2006.00890.x.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Truby, H., & Paxton, S. J. (2002). Development of the Children’s Body Image Scale. The British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 41, 185–203. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466502163967.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Truby, H., & Paxton, S. J. (2008). The Children’s Body Image Scale: Reliability and use with international standards for body mass index. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 47, 119–124. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466507X251261.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
van Strien, T., Frijters, J. E. R., Bergers, G. P. A., & Defares, P. B. (1986). The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) for assessment of restrained, emotional, and external eating behavior. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 5, 295–315. https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-108X(198602).3.0.CO;2-T>CrossRefGoogle Scholar

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