Avaliação psicométrica da Drive for Muscularity Scale e do Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory entre homens adultos cisgênero gays e bissexuais brasileiros

Abstract

Despite high levels of muscularity concerns among sexual minority men, much of the existing literature on drive for muscularity and muscle dysmorphia (MD) focuses on heterosexual men and has been primarily conducted in Western and English-speaking countries. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties (i.e., validity and reliability) of the Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS) and the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MDDI) in Brazilian cisgender gay and bisexual adult men. This is a cross-sectional sequential mixed study, which included Brazilian cisgender gay and bisexual men, aged between 18 and 50 years, of any race/ethnicity. After approval of the Internal Review Board of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (approval number: 4.690.224), the participants answered the online research protocol, through Google Forms platform, containing: the sociodemographic questionnaire and measures of drive for muscularity, MD and eating disorder (ED) symptoms, body-ideal internalization, self-objectification beliefs and behaviors, and body appreciation. After completing data collection, factorial validity of the DMS and the MDDI was evaluated through a two-step analytic approach with split-samples, namely: exploratory factor analysis (EFA; n = 704) followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 705). Convergent validity was examined through correlation analysis between the DMS and the MDDI, and other measures. Furthermore, reliability was assessed through internal consistency (i.e., McDonald's omega) and test-retest reliability (i.e., Spearman's rho and intraclass correlation coefficient). The original three-factor structure of the MDDI was supported, while a reduced two-factor solution with 13 items was found for the DMS. Convergent validity was supported by associations of the DMS and the MDDI with ED symptoms, body-ideal internalization, selfobjectification beliefs and behaviors, and body appreciation. In addition, good internal consistency and test-retest reliability were found for both measures. It is concluded that the results support the validity and reliability of the DMS and the MDDI in Brazilian cisgender gay and bisexual adult men and will support future studies that explore such constructs in Brazilian sexual minority men.