The BODY-Q Belly Button Scale: A Development and Validation Study.

[BACKGROUND] One of the critical steps in abdominoplasty or reconstructive procedures using abdominal tissue involves repositioning the belly button. However, there is limited knowledge about patient satisfaction regarding the appearance of the belly button after such procedures. Currently, there is no standardized patient-reported outcome measure designed to assess this outcome.

[OBJECTIVES] This study aimed to develop and validate a BODY-Q scale that measures patient satisfaction with the appearance of the belly button.

[METHODS] In phase 1 (qualitative), patient interviews were used to develop and refine the new BODY-Q scale. In phase 2 (quantitative), the scale was field-tested through a crowdsourcing platform. Rasch measurement theory (RMT) analysis was used for item reduction and to examine reliability and validity. Predefined hypotheses were tested using a 75 percent acceptance threshold, which was considered indicative of sufficient evidence for construct validity.

[RESULTS] The Belly Button scale was refined through qualitative input from five patients. Psychometric validation was performed in a sample of 372 participants. From 15 items, six items were retained in the final scale. This scale showed ordered thresholds and data fit the Rasch model (χ2 = 22.72, df = 24, p-value = 0.54). The scale evidenced reliability with Person Separation Index and Cronbach alpha values >0.81. For construct validity, acceptance of hypotheses was 89 percent.

[CONCLUSIONS] The BODY-Q Belly Button scale can be used in clinical practice and in research to assess satisfaction with the belly button from the patient's perspective.