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The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26): Reliability and Validity in Spanish Female Samples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Teresa Rivas ,
Rosa Bersabé ,
Manuel Jiménez  and
Carmen Berrocal
Teresa Rivas*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Málaga (Spain)
Rosa Bersabé
Affiliation:
Universidad de Málaga (Spain)
Manuel Jiménez
Affiliation:
Universidad de Málaga (Spain)
Carmen Berrocal
Affiliation:
Universitá di Pisa (Italy)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Teresa Rivas Moya. Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología de las Ciencias del Comportamiento. Facultad de Psicología. Universidad de Málaga. 29071 Málaga. (Spain). E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

This paper focuses on the validation of the Spanish form of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26; Garner, Olmsted, Bohr & Garfinkel, 1982) across two studies. Participants in Study 1 were 778 females recruited from community settings (aged 12-21). Study 2 included 86 females recruited from clinical and 86 females from community settings (aged 12-35). Results from Principal and Simultaneous Component Analyses showed a unidimensional structure of the EAT-26 item scores. Reliability analyses supported the internal consistency of the scale. Study 1 also explores the ability of the EAT-26 to discriminate between subjects with Eating Disorder (ED), Symptomatic or Asymptomatic by means of ROC analyses and using results from the Questionnaire for Eating Disorder Diagnoses (Q-EDD; Mintz, O'Halloran, Mulholland, & Schneider, 1997) as criterion. The EAT-26 demonstrated good specificity but insufficient sensitivity to detect a full or partial ED. Study 2 explores the ability of the questionnaire to discriminate between subjects with and without ED. The EAT-26 demonstrated good specificity and moderate sensitivity to detect ED. Clinical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed.

Se presentan dos estudios que contribuyen a la validación de la versión española del Test de Actitudes Alimentarias (EAT-26; Gardner, Olmsted, Bohr & Garfinkel, 1982). En el Estudio 1 participan 778 mujeres de población general (12-21 años). El Estudio 2 incluye 86 mujeres que acuden a un centro clínico con un problema de TCA y 86 mujeres de población general (12-35 años). Los resultados de los Análisis de Componentes Principales y Simultáneos muestran una estructura unidimensional en estas puntuaciones del EAT-26. El análisis de la fiabilidad indica una adecuada consistencia interna. En el Estudio 1, utilizando como criterio el Cuestionario de Diagnóstico de TCA (Q-EDD; Mintz, O'Halloran, Mulholland, & Schneider, 1997), los resultados de un Análisis ROC exploran la capacidad del EAT-26 para discriminar entre sujetos con un Trastorno de la Conducta Alimentaria (TCA), Sintomático o Asintomático. Las puntuaciones del EAT-26 muestran aceptable especificidad pero insuficiente sensibilidad para detectar un TCA completo o parcial. El Estudio 2 analiza la capacidad del cuestionario para discriminar entre sujetos con y sin TCA. El EAT-26 muestra aceptable especificidad y moderada sensibilidad para detectar un TCA. Las implicaciones clínicas y teóricas de estos resultados se discuten.

Keywords

Eating Disorderassessmentfactor structurereliabilitycriterion validityTrastorno de la Conducta Alimentariaevaluaciónestructura factorialfiabilidadvalidez de criterio
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , November 2010 , pp. 1044 - 1056
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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