Factor structure and psychometric properties of the brief Mizes Anorectic Cognitions questionnaire

The Mizes Anorectic Cognitions-Revised (MAC-R) questionnaire is a 24-item self-report instrument designed to assess cognitions associated with anorexia and bulimia nervosa. We examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the MAC-R in a sample of 290 undergraduates. We found that a brief 3-factor oblique model (composed of 12 items) of the MAC-R provided acceptable fit to the present sample data. This model was largely invariant across male and female participants. The brief version of the MAC-R (the BMAC) and subscale scores correlated significantly with scores from related measures of eating disorders, showing evidence of concurrent validity. The BMAC total and subscales also showed evidence of discriminant validity by differentiating between empirically defined subclinical eating disorders and control participants. Both logistic regression and discriminant function analyses showed that only the self-control and self-esteem subscale was most useful in distinguishing between the subgroups.