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Biological and Medical Sciences > Classification by Discipline > Health and Medical Sciences > Psychology

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Editor:  Anne Dyer Branch: Protocol-Wiki Type: Protocol Intention: For Publication Read/Write Permissions: Open Access

Authors : 21.09.2010 - Anne Dyer    22.07.2010 - Anne Dyer

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Survey of Body Areas (SuBA) is a body image survey that allows a detailed evaluation of feelings towards different body parts. The proband is asked to rate positively connotated body areas, negatively connotated body areas as well give reasons for a negative connotation. Unlike a questionnaire, SuBA is a graphically based survey of body image that allows subjects to identify which parts of their body carry specific and varied perceived meaning.

It is also possible to use the same image to measure and evaluate scars (also described below).

[edit] Background

Body image disorders are a prevalent phenomenon. Until today, Research focused primarily on patients with eating disorders. While patients with eating disorders mainly focus on their body and figure, different group of patients connotate different areas of their body negatively. They also give different reasons for their negative connotation (i.e. patients after childhood sexual abuse report disgust or shame towards their body, especially their sexual characteristics).

Subscales of questionnaires (i.e. MBSRQ: Multidimensional Body Self-Relations Questionnaire, Cash, 2000) use Likert scales to rate different body areas. A questionnaire implies an abstraction from a body area on a term. Also, a given number of areas (i.e. face) allows a focus only on a limited number of areas. A more differentiated analysis is not possible (i.e. amount of negatively rated body areas due to traumatic experiences).

[edit] Procedure

Probands receive a standardised, same-sex silhouette (back and front) with an average Body Mass Index. Probands are asked to mark the silhouette according to the ratings on their own body. Body areas, towards whom they don´t have a special feeling, are to be left without any mark. Positively or negatively rated areas are marked by two different colours or different marks. Additionally, probands are asked to give reasons for the negatively marked body areas by adding numbers 1) feels „too fat“, 2) Reminder of Traumatization, 3) rating by other persons (i.e. “ugly”), 4) pain, 5) scar, 6) others: ….

For the evaluation of scars, probands are asked to give the amount of scars. They are asked to sketch the scar in the silhouette using a different colour for neutrally, positively, or negatively connotated scars.

[edit] Interpretation

The silhouette (front and back) is divided into 43 areas. The ratings are coded for neutral, positive, negative, and as well as. Within the next step reasons for a negative rating are coded.

It is possible to calculate a total value as well as mean values for each body area. Different evaluation strategies are possible (positive connotation, negative connotation, negative connotation due to traumatisation, etc.)

Scars can be allocated in one out of 43 body areas. A total value, which reflects the amount of areas with at least one scar, can be calculated.

A .pdf version of the SuBA can be downloaded from the following page within Sci-Mate: Survey of Body Areas - female (pdf)

A German version of the SuBA (BeKA) is also available: Bewertung von Körperarealen - weiblich (pdf)

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