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The Multidimensional Structure of Physical Self-Concept

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Igor Esnaola*
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco (Spain)
Guillermo Infante
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco (Spain)
Luis Zulaika
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Igor Esnaola Etxaniz. Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación. Facultad de Filosofía y Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad del País Vasco. Avenida de Tolosa 70. 20018 San Sebastián. (Spain). Phone: +34-943015533. E-mail: igor.esnaola@ehu.es

Abstract

The present study aims to analyze the dimensionality of physical self-concept through confirmatory factor analysis of the AFI questionnaire (Esnaola, 2005; Esnaola & Goñi, 2006) and to compare two models: a) a quadri-dimensional model in which physical self-concept is made up of the sub-domains ability, condition, attractiveness and strength, and, b) a three-factor model in which the items corresponding to ability and condition are grouped together as one factor. The sample consists of 1,259 participants ranging in age from 12 to 84 years old (700 women and 556 men) who were divided into four groups as a function of age: 627 adolescents (12-18 years old), 272 young people (19-30 years old), 248 middle-aged adults (31-49 years old) and 112 people over 55, all living in the Basque Autonomous Region of Spain. The results indicate that the quadri-dimensional model of physical self-concept fits the data better than the three-dimensional model (which showed poor goodness of fit) for the study's total sample, as well as within the male and female sub-samples. Furthermore, the four-factor model was found to be stable throughout adolescence, youth and middle-age, but not for the group of adults over 55.

Este estudio trata de analizar la dimensionalidad del autoconcepto físico mediante el análisis factorial confirmatorio del cuestionario AFI (Esnaola, 2005; Esnaola y Goñi, 2006) comparando dos modelos: a) un modelo cuatridimensional en el que el autoconcepto físico se compone de los subdominios de habilidad, condición, atractivo y fuerza; y, b) un modelo de tres factores en el que los ítems de habilidad y condición se agrupan en un factor. La muestra está compuesta por 1259 participantes entre los 12 y 84 años (700 mujeres y 556 varones) divididos en cuatro grupos en función de su edad: 627 adolescentes (12-18 años), 272 jóvenes (19-30 años), 248 adultos (31-49 años) y 112 personas mayores de 55 años de la Comunidad Autónoma del País Vasco. Los resultados indican que el modelo cuatridimensional del autoconcepto físico se ajusta mejor que el modelo de tres factores (que no se ajusta bien) a los datos de la muestra total del estudio, así como en las submuestras masculina y femenina. Por otro lado, el modelo de cuatro factores se muestra estable en la adolescencia, juventud y edad adulta, pero no así en el grupo de personas mayores de 55 años.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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