The Body-Esteem Scale – BES
Measures multi-dimensional body-esteem and self-evaluation of specific body parts and functions, with distinct factor structures for males and females.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The The Body-Esteem Scale – BES was developed by Stephen L. Franzoi & Susan A. Shields (1984). It is designed to measure Body Esteem. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 35 items organized into 6 factors/subscales: Male: Physical Attractiveness, Male: Upper Body Strength, Male: Physical Condition, Female: Sexual Attractiveness, Female: Weight Concern, Female: Physical Condition.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Male: Physical Attractiveness | 3,6,11,13,16,21,22,23,27,28,34 | 11 |
| Male: Upper Body Strength | 7,12,14,15,18,19,20,25,26 | 9 |
| Male: Physical Condition | 2,4,5,8,9,10,15,17,25,29,30,33,35 | 13 |
| Female: Sexual Attractiveness | 1,3,6,11,13,20,21,22,26,28,31,32,34 | 13 |
| Female: Weight Concern | 2,8,10,14,16,23,24,25,29,35 | 10 |
| Female: Physical Condition | 4,5,7,9,12,15,17,30,33 | 9 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Subscale Cronbach's alphas range from .78 to .87.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.