Measuring Body Appreciation among Saudi Young Adults: Psychometric Properties and Measurement Invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) Arabic Version

Background: Positive body image, particularly body appreciation, is essential for mental well-being. The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used tool, but a standalone psychometric validation for the Saudi population is lacking. Objectives: To validate the Arabic version of the BAS-2 by examining its reliability, factor structure, and measurement invariance among young adults from Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional survey involving a convenience sample of 900 university students (62% female; mean age: 24.8 years). The dataset was randomly split for exploratory factor analysis (EFA; n = 630) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 270). Fit was evaluated using RMSEA, SRMR, CFI, and TLI. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega. Measurement invariance was assessed with multi-group CFA using R software (lavaan package, Version 4.4.1). Results: Data suitability was supported (KMO = 0.95; Bartlett’s test P < 0.001). Parallel analysis indicated an optimal unidimensional structure, explaining 71% of the variance, with all item loadings exceeding 0.68. CFA confirmed adequate fit (CFI = 0.95, TLI = 0.93, SRMR = 0.03, GFI = 0.90, and AGFI = 0.83), though RMSEA (0.12; 90% CI: 0.10–0.14) was beyond the threshold of 0.01. All items loaded strongly onto a single factor (loadings ≥0.678). Internal consistency was excellent (α = 0.96, ω = 0.96). Full metric and scalar invariance were supported across sex and age groups. Conclusions: The Arabic version of BAS-2 is both reliable and valid for Saudi young adults, supporting its use in research and interventions to promote body appreciation amid cultural and obesity-related challenges.