Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Disordered Eating Attitudes and Behaviours (DEABs) can impact both the mental and physical health of children. Early detection is crucial to prevent complications and improve outcomes. The Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) is a widely used, cost-effective tool for assessing DEABs.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the EAT-26 by analysing its factor structure, internal consistency, convergent validity, and measurement invariance across sexes in Spanish schoolchildren.
METHODS: Validation study in a sample of 718 schoolchildren. The sample was randomly divided into 2 groups, each with 359 participants, and we carried out an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the instrument. Subsequently, we assessed the internal consistency by means of the ordinal alpha, the convergent validity with the SCOFF questionnaire and the measurement invariance across the sexes.
RESULTS: The results of the EFA and CFA supported a multidimensional structure of the EAT comprising 6 factors and 21 items. These factors underlie a second-order model of DEABs. The internal consistency was adequate for most factors. The SCOFF questionnaire showed a moderate convergent validity for most of the EAT-21 factors. We found measurement invariance across the sexes.
CONCLUSIONS: The abbreviated EAT-21 scale exhibited modest and promising psychometric properties, making it a suitable instrument for assessing DEABs in both sexes in educational settings.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the EAT-26 by analysing its factor structure, internal consistency, convergent validity, and measurement invariance across sexes in Spanish schoolchildren.
METHODS: Validation study in a sample of 718 schoolchildren. The sample was randomly divided into 2 groups, each with 359 participants, and we carried out an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the instrument. Subsequently, we assessed the internal consistency by means of the ordinal alpha, the convergent validity with the SCOFF questionnaire and the measurement invariance across the sexes.
RESULTS: The results of the EFA and CFA supported a multidimensional structure of the EAT comprising 6 factors and 21 items. These factors underlie a second-order model of DEABs. The internal consistency was adequate for most factors. The SCOFF questionnaire showed a moderate convergent validity for most of the EAT-21 factors. We found measurement invariance across the sexes.
CONCLUSIONS: The abbreviated EAT-21 scale exhibited modest and promising psychometric properties, making it a suitable instrument for assessing DEABs in both sexes in educational settings.
摘要：
背景：饮食态度和行为紊乱（DEAB）会影响儿童的身心健康。早期检测对于预防并发症和改善预后至关重要。饮食态度测试-26（EAT-26）是一种广泛使用的，评估债务的成本效益高的工具。
目的：通过分析EAT-26的因子结构来评估其心理测量特性，内部一致性，收敛有效性，以及西班牙学童性别之间的测量不变性。
方法：对718名学童的样本进行验证研究。将样本随机分为2组,每人有359名参与者，我们对仪器进行了探索性因素分析(EFA)和验证性因素分析(CFA)。随后，我们通过序数α来评估内部一致性，SCOFF问卷的收敛效度和跨性别的测量不变性。
结果：EFA和CFA的结果支持EAT的多维结构，包括6个因素和21个项目。这些因素构成了DEAB的二阶模型。内部一致性足以满足大多数因素。SCOFF问卷对大多数EAT-21因子显示出中等收敛效度。我们发现性别之间的测量不变性。
结论：缩写的EAT-21量表显示出适度和有希望的心理测量特性，使其成为在教育环境中评估男女债务的合适工具。
目的：通过分析EAT-26的因子结构来评估其心理测量特性，内部一致性，收敛有效性，以及西班牙学童性别之间的测量不变性。
方法：对718名学童的样本进行验证研究。将样本随机分为2组,每人有359名参与者，我们对仪器进行了探索性因素分析(EFA)和验证性因素分析(CFA)。随后，我们通过序数α来评估内部一致性，SCOFF问卷的收敛效度和跨性别的测量不变性。
结果：EFA和CFA的结果支持EAT的多维结构，包括6个因素和21个项目。这些因素构成了DEAB的二阶模型。内部一致性足以满足大多数因素。SCOFF问卷对大多数EAT-21因子显示出中等收敛效度。我们发现性别之间的测量不变性。
结论：缩写的EAT-21量表显示出适度和有希望的心理测量特性，使其成为在教育环境中评估男女债务的合适工具。
