Physical Appearance State and Trait Anxiety Scale (PASTAS)

doi:10.1017/9781009398275.112

Chapter 111 - Physical Appearance State and Trait Anxiety Scale (PASTAS)

Published online by Cambridge University Press: aN Invalid Date NaN

Claudia Liu ,

Zoe McClure and

J. Kevin Thompson

Edited by

Virginia Ramseyer Winter ,

Tracy L. Tylka and

Antoinette M. Landor

Show author details

Virginia Ramseyer Winter: Affiliation:
University of Minnesota
Tracy L. Tylka: Affiliation:
Ohio State University
Antoinette M. Landor: Affiliation:
University of Missouri

Book contents

Get access

Summary

The 16-item Physical Appearance and State and Trait Anxiety Scale (PASTAS; Reed et al., 1991) assesses state and trait level body image anxiety. The PASTAS can be administered online and/or in-person to adolescents and adults and is free to use in any setting. This chapter first discusses the development of the PASTAS and then provides evidence of its psychometrics. More specifically, the PASTAS has been found to have a two or three factor structure within exploratory factor analyses with evidence of factorial invariance in male and female samples, as well as sports and non-sports practitioners. Internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and incremental validity support the use of the PASTAS. Next, this chapter provides the PASTAS items in their entirety, instructions for administering the PASTAS to participants, the item response scale, and the scoring procedure. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and contact information, are provided for readers.

Keywords

Physical Appearance and State and Trait Anxiety Scale PASTAS items body image anxiety appearance concerns trait measure state measure scale development psychometric evidence factor structure reliability validity administration scoring

Information

Type: Chapter
Information: Handbook of Body Image-Related Measures , pp. 328 - 330

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009398275.112 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2025

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Aguirre, J. F., Rangel-Ledezma, Y. S., Jurado-García, P. J., Blanco, H., Ornelas, M., Jiménez-Lira, C., Blanco, J. R., & Aguirre, S. I. (2022). Validation of a computerized version of the trait subscale of the Physical Appearance State and Trait Anxiety Scale in Mexican preadolescents. Children, 9(1), 64. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9010064.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Butters, J. W., & Cash, T. F. (1987). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of women’s body-image dissatisfaction. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55(6), 889–897. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.55.6.889.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Garner, D. M., Olmstead, M. P., & Polivy, J. (1983). Development and validation of a multidimensional Eating Disorder Inventory for anorexia nervosa and bulimia. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 12, 263–271. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/1098-108X(198321)2:23.0.CO;2-6.CrossRef Google Scholar

Mizes, J. S. (1985). Bulimia: A review of its symptomatology and treatment. Advances in Behaviour Research and Therapy, 7(1–2), 91–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/0146-6402(85)90012-8.CrossRef Google Scholar

Ornelas, M., Rodríguez-Villalobos, J. M., Viciana, J., Guedea, J. C., Blanco, J. R., & Mayorga-Vega, D. (2021). Composition factor analysis and factor invariance of the Physical Appearance State and Trait Anxiety Scale (PASTAS) in sports and non-sports practitioner Mexican adolescents. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 20(3), 525. https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2021.525.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Reed, D. L., Thompson, J. K., Brannick, M. T., & Sacco, W. P. (1991). Development and validation of the Physical Appearance State and Trait Anxiety Scale (PASTAS). Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 5(4), 323–332. https://doi.org/10.1016/0887-6185(91)90032-O.CrossRef Google Scholar

Rutt, C. D., Garcia, K. A., & Coleman, K. J. (2002). The evaluation of a measurement model for the Physical Appearance State and Trait Anxiety Scale in a sample of young adult women of Mexican descent. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 24(3), 340–352. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739986302024003005.CrossRef Google Scholar

Spielberger, C. D. (1966). Anxiety and Behavior. Elsevier Academic Press.Google Scholar

Spielberger, C. D., Gonzalez-Reigosa, F., Martinez-Urrutia, A., Natalicio, L. F., & Natalicio, D. S. (1971). The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Interamerican Journal of Psychology, 5(3 & 4). https://doi.org/10.30849/rip/ijp.v5i3%20&%204.620.Google Scholar

Thompson, J. K., & Dolce, J. J. (1989). The discrepancy between emotional vs. rational estimates of body size, actual size, and ideal body ratings: Theoretical and clinical implications. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45(3), 473–478. https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-4679(198905)45:3%3C473::AID-JCLP2270450320%3E3.0.CO;2-0.3.0.CO;2-0>CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Accessibility standard: WCAG 2.0 A

Why this information is here

This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.

Accessibility Information

The PDF of this book conforms to version 2.0 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), ensuring core accessibility principles are addressed and meets the basic (A) level of WCAG compliance, addressing essential accessibility barriers.

Content Navigation

Table of contents navigation
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.

Index navigation
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.

Reading Order & Textual Equivalents

Single logical reading order
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.

Short alternative textual descriptions
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.

Visual Accessibility

Use of colour is not sole means of conveying information
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.

Structural and Technical Features

ARIA roles provided
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.