Fit for Purpose, Psychometric Assessment of the Eating Attitudes Test-26 in an Irish Adolescent Sample. (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McEnery, Fionnuala; Fitzgerald, Amanda; McNicholas, Fiona; Dooley, Barbara
• Is Part Of: Eating behaviors. Volume 23(2016:Dec.)
• Page Start: 52
• Page End: 57
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Adolescents -- Eating attitudes -- Eat-26 -- Psychometrics -- Confirmatory factor analysis; Eating disorders -- Periodicals; Compulsive eating -- Periodicals; Obesity -- Periodicals; 616.8526
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2016.07.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1471-0153

Abstract

Abstract: The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) in a sample of Irish adolescents (N = 2444). Consistent with previous research, in adolescents, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) failed to replicate the original three-factor structure of the EAT-26. Goodness-of-fit indices provided support for a recently published six-factor EAT-18 model. As the EAT-26 is typically used as a unitary measure by clinicians, a second-order factor model was investigated, which supported a general concept of eating problems. Convergent validity of the EAT-18 was assessed using the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3). Using the 90th percentile, a cut-off score of 13 was identified on the EAT-18 that discriminated between those indicative and non-indicative of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Findings suggest that the revised factor structures may be more suitable for the general adolescent population than the original three-factor EAT-26. Clinical implications of the EAT-18 and future research recommendations are addressed. Highlights: CFA failed to replicate the EAT-26 as a 3 factor structure in an adolescent sample Goodness of fit indices observed a six-factor EAT-18 model A second-order factor found a general eating behavior concept Convergent validity between the EAT-18 model and EDI-3 subscales were observed