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Aim. The development of the 6-factor, 27-item Muscle Dysmorphia Inventory (MDI) was based on Lantz et al. proposed model of characteristics associated with Muscle Dysmorphia.
Methods. Experimental design: quantitative procedures including item-to-total correlations, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and structure equation modeling confirmed the construct validity of the scale. Convergent validity was also tested. Setting: bodybuilding and powerlifting competition venues, weight training facilities, and university athletic venues. Participants: the 1st study consisted of 77 experienced male free weight lifters. The 2nd study consisted of 156 male non-competitive bodybuilders and weight lifters and 168 elite level powerlifters and bodybuilders. The 3rd study consisted of 151 male and female bodybuilders and weight lifters.
Measures: each participant completed demographic information, the MDI, Drive for Thinness subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory, and the Training Dependency subscale of the Bodybuilding Dependence Scale.
Results. Reliability estimates (Cronbach's α) ranged from 0.72 to 0.94. Factor loadings in all 3 studies supported the 6-factor structure (size/symmetry, supplement use, exercise dependence, pharmacological use, dietary behavior, and physique protection). Much of the scale validation was focused on construct validity, however, correlations with the MDI's subscales and the Training Dependency subscale of the Bodybuilding Dependence Scale and the Drive for Thinness subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory provided evidence of convergent validity also. Conclusion. From these preliminary results, the MDI appears to contribute to the identification of a newly formed disorder by offering a multi-dimensional measure of factors related to Muscle Dysmorphia.
KEY WORDS: Muscle dysmorphia - Exercise psychology - Exercise.
Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) has recently been proposed as a new disorder addressing the pathological pursuit of a hyper-mesomorphic physique. Originally, Pope and Katz 1 termed MD as a reverse anorexia, but more recently researchers 2,3 have considered it as a subtype of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). BDD has always been defined as an intense preoccupation with an imagined physical defect or an overemphasis regarding a slight defect commonly involving specific body parts such as hair, nose, or irregularities in skin pigmentation. However, the DSMIV-TR 4 additionally links global bodily concerns such as body shape and size as associated BDD characteristics with the addition of the phrase, "an obsession with muscle and bodybuilding". According to many researchers, muscle dysmorphics are obsessed with muscle viewing...