Body image distortion: validation of a new scale for children and adolescents

A possible definition of body image is the picture that an individual has of her/his own body, irrespective of how her/his body actually is. Body image is a competence that develops in children similar to many other skills. The aim of this study was to validate a new rapid 20-items questionnaire to study the body image distortion in children and adolescents: the Strange Sensations Questionnaire (SSQ). A secondary aim was to improve the knowledge about body image distortion and about depersonalization symptoms, and their correlation with possible hallucinations, in children and adolescents, as it can be investigated using a scale. METHODS: One thousand five hundred fifty-seven children and adolescents, balanced for sex and age filled out a new 20-items questionnaire (SSQ) about body image, and a second validated questionnaire about fantasy with a reality/unreality distinction subscale to study the relationship with hallucinations (Free Fantasy Questionnaire [FFQ])