The Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire: Measurement invariance by gender and race/ethnicity among sexual minority adults

Sexual minority adults report heightened body image disturbances, and may be more likely to meet criteria for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) than their heterosexual counterparts. Given the poor outcomes associated with BDD, it is important to validate measures assessing dysmorphic symptoms among this at-risk group. The Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire (DCQ) is a seven-item self-report measure intended to assess dysmorphic symptoms. The present study investigated racial, ethnic, and gender measurement invariance properties of the DCQ in a racially and ethnically diverse sample of sexual minority adults. The current results lend initial support for use of the DCQ to potentially detect BDD symptoms among White, Black, Latino, and Asian sexual minority men and women. This may inform future studies that wish to utilize the DCQ, such as investigations of mean level differences in dysmorphic concern. These findings may have important clinical applications, given the heightened risk of appearance-related concerns among diverse sexual minority adults.