The Body Experience Questionnaire for adults with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning (BEQ-mb): Development and initial evaluation

Manon J. Smit, Mia Scheffers, Claudia Emck, Jooske T. van Busschbach, Peter J. Beek

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background
Body experience is an important facet of psychosocial functioning and health. However, to date no test exists to measure body experience in adults with mild intellectual disability and borderline intellectual functioning (MID-BIF). We therefore adapted the Body Experience Questionnaire (BEQ) to this group, resulting in the BEQ-mb, and evaluated its usability, comprehensibility, and reliability.

Method
The BEQ-mb was developed in five stages: concept development, focus group, verbal reports, pilot testing, and evaluation.

Results
The BEQ-mb is applicable in, and comprehensible by, adults with MID-BIF. Internal consistency is good for the total scale and the body awareness and body satisfaction subscales, but low for the body attitude subscale. Test–retest reliability is excellent for the total scale and the subscales.

Conclusion
The BEQ-mb unlocks new opportunities for clinical examination and research on body experience. Future research is needed to investigate its structural validity.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)141-151
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability
Volume47
Issue number2
Early online date19 Jun 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Keywords

  • Body experience
  • body awareness
  • body satisfaction
  • body attitude
  • self-report questionnaire
  • mild intellectual disability and borderline intellectual functioning

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