Body Awareness Questionnaire – BAQ
Measures self-reported attentiveness to normal, non-emotive body processes, sensitivity to bodily changes, and ability to predict bodily reactions.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Body Awareness Questionnaire – BAQ was developed by Stephanie A. Shields, M. Elise Mallory, & Angela Simon (1989). It is designed to measure Body Awareness. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 18 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Note Changes in Body States, Predict Bodily Reactions, Sleep-Wake Cycle, Onset of Illness.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Note Changes in Body States | 1,4,13,14,18 | 5 |
| Predict Bodily Reactions | 2,3,8,15,16 | 5 |
| Sleep-Wake Cycle | 11,12,17 | 3 |
| Onset of Illness | 5,6,7,9,10 | 5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 1 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 18 to 126. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Body Awareness: 18 – 54
- Moderate Body Awareness: 55 – 90
- High Body Awareness: 91 – 126
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 0.77 to 0.82.
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.