Objectified Body Consciousness Scale (OBCS)
Measures objectified body consciousness, which is the tendency to view one's body as an outsider would, consisting of body surveillance, body shame, and control beliefs.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Objectified Body Consciousness Scale (OBCS) was developed by Nita Mary McKinley & Janet Shibley Hyde (1996). It is designed to measure Objectified Body Consciousness. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 24 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Body Surveillance, Body Shame, Control Beliefs.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Body Surveillance | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 | 8 |
| Body Shame | 9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16 | 8 |
| Control Beliefs | 17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24 | 8 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 14 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 24 to 168. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Objectified Body Consciousness: 24 – 72
- Moderate Objectified Body Consciousness: 73 – 120
- High Objectified Body Consciousness: 121 – 168
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha ranges from 0.70 to 0.89 for the subscales.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 8 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.