Body Talk Scale (BTS)

doi:10.1017/9781009398275.053

Chapter 52 - Body Talk Scale (BTS)

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 November 2025

Linda Lin and

Mark A. Flynn

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

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Summary

The 14-item Body Talk Scale (BTS; Lin et al., 2021) was designed to measure both positive body talk and negative body talk in adult women and men. Body talk is defined as the ways in which people talk about their bodies. Positive body talk refers to self-accepting and self-affirming statements made about one’s body, whereas negative body talk includes self-critical statements focused on dissatisfaction with one’s body fat and/or muscularity. The BTS can be administered online or in-person and is free to use. This chapter first discusses the development of the BTS and then provides evidence of its psychometrics. More specifically, the BTS has a 3-factor structure (negative fat talk, negative muscle talk, and positive body talk) found within exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and incremental validity support the use of the BTS. Next, this chapter provides the BTS items in their entirety, instructions for administration and scoring, and the item response scale. Links to known translations are included. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and contact information, are available for readers.

Keywords

Body Talk Scale BTS body talk positive body talk negative body talk muscle talk fat talk body fat muscularity items scale development psychometric evidence factor structure reliability validity administration scoring

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Type: Chapter
Information: Handbook of Body Image-Related Measures , pp. 163 - 164

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009398275.053 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2025

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References

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Lin, L., Flynn, M.A., O’Dell, D. (2021). Measuring positive and negative body talk in men and women: The development of the Body Talk Scale. Body Image, 37, 106–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.01.013.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

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Ryan, T. A., Morrison, T. G., Roddy, S., & McCutcheon, J. (2011). Psychometric properties of the Revised Male Body Attitudes Scale among Irish men. Body Image, 8(1), 64–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2010.10.004.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Sladek, M. R., Engeln, R., & Miller, S. A. (2014). Development and validation of the Male Body Talk Scale: A psychometric investigation. Body Image, 11(3), 233–244. https://doi-org.ezproxyemc.flo.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.02.005.CrossRef Google Scholar

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