A New Tool for Measuring Positive Body Image in Autistic Adults

Positive body image is a critical component of every person's mental and physical well-being. Among autistic adults, and even more so among those who identify as transgender or gender-diverse, understanding and appreciating one's body image can greatly contribute to quality of life.

A new and important study, published in the journal Body Image, 2026 Sep, focused on the development and validation of a reliable measurement tool called The Body Appreciation Scale-2A (BAS-2A). This tool is designed to capture the central aspect of positive body appreciation among autistic adults. While preliminary evidence suggests that positive body appreciation may enhance physical and psychological well-being in autistic individuals who are transgender or gender-diverse, the tool had not yet been specifically validated in this population.

To address this gap, researchers examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the BAS-2A among autistic adults who are transgender or gender-diverse. The study included autistic adults from Western countries. Participants completed the BAS-2A questionnaire, along with additional measures of physical well-being and eating disorder symptoms.

Key Findings:

  • Confirmatory factor analysis supported a unidimensional, 12-item structure for the BAS-2A, indicating that the tool measures a single, coherent aspect of body appreciation.
  • The BAS-2A demonstrated excellent reliability, meaning it provides consistent and trustworthy results.
  • Strong evidence was found for convergent, concurrent, discriminant, and incremental validity.
  • Positive body appreciation was significantly associated with:
    • Higher levels of self-compassion, self-esteem, and quality of life.
    • Lower levels of eating disorder symptoms.

Overall, the researchers report that their findings indicate the BAS-2A is a valid and reliable measurement tool for capturing positive body appreciation among autistic adults who are transgender or gender-diverse. The current study makes an important contribution to a better understanding of positive body image in the broader autistic population.

One of the important aspects of this research is its contribution to the discourse on body image within a group that is often underrepresented in research. The understanding that a reliable measurement tool is now available can help clinicians and researchers better identify needs and develop targeted interventions to promote positive body image and mental well-being among gender-diverse autistic adults. It should be noted that the study focused on participants from Western countries, and further research is needed to examine the tool's validity in different populations and cultural groups.