The current study examined the validity of the Italian version of the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS; Henderson-King & Henderson-King, 2005) in a sample of 378 Italian adult women. A series of confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. A three-factor solution provided the best fit to the data and confirmed the Intrapersonal, Social, and Consider dimensions. The three factors were strongly inter-correlated. Cronbach's alphas were high (all alphas > .86). The scale showed good convergent and discriminant validity (estimated by Composite Reliability and the Average Variance Extracted). The nomological validity of the Italian version of the ACSS was confirmed by its significant correlations with participants’ body dissatisfaction and sociocultural influences (internalization of thin ideals and perceived media pressure). The ACSS seems to be a useful measure of acceptance of cosmetic surgery in the Italian context. This instrument can be used with Italian speakers for research, health promotion, and preventive interventions.
Cosmetic plastic surgery is an elective surgical procedure that aims to improve appearance by enhancing physical features. The rising importance of physical appearance in contemporary Western culture has probably contributed to the normalization of behaviours aimed at enhancing one's appearance (Tiggemann, 2011). In the past decade, rates of cosmetic surgery have noticeably increased not only in America but also in Europe (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons [ISAPS], 2011). According to a survey conducted by the ISAPS (2011), Italy ranks sixth in the world by number of both plastic surgeons and plastic surgery procedures. Although the U.S. leads in absolute numbers of incidence of invasive and non-invasive cosmetic procedures, the number of procedures per person is considerably higher in Italy than in the United States. In the Italian context, cosmetic surgery was already considered a feasible way to alter one's physical appearance in the 1990s. A study conducted by Mondini, Favaro, and Santonastaso (1996) showed that, in the Italian mass media, different forms of control and manipulation of women's bodies were present, cosmetic surgery included; specifically, women's magazines tended to promote cosmetic treatment and products with a clear commercial aim. The ideal body appeared so difficult to achieve that an effective manipulation, also through cosmetic surgery, seemed to be required in order to reach common aesthetic standards.
Individual differences have been deeply analyzed with regard to consideration of cosmetic surgery. Not everyone pursues cosmetic surgery, so that scholars have tried to highlight factors that lead some individuals to consider cosmetic surgery as a feasible strategy to change one's body image. Some variables related to favourable attitudes towards cosmetic procedures have been identified. Specifically, factors that have been shown to be associated to consideration of cosmetic surgery include intrapersonal factors, such as body dissatisfaction (Carrion et al., 2011a, Menzel et al., 2011, Swami, 2010, Swami et al., 2008, Swami et al., 2011 and Swami et al., 2012b), and social factors, such as internalization of sociocultural messages and media pressures to modify ones’ physical appearance (Menzel et al., 2011, Nerini et al., 2014, Stefanile et al., in press, Swami, 2009 and Swami et al., 2012b).
