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Updated: Apr 17, 2026
Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
Development and psychometric testing of an energy retention behavior scale for children
Shu-Wen Chen1, Chung-Ping Cheng, Ruey-Hsia Wang
11PhD, RN, Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology 2PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University 3PhD, RN, Professor, College of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University 4MSN, RN, Instructor, College of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University 5PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, National Tainan Institute of Nursing.
Background:
Obesity is the consequence of energy retention due to energy-dense food intake (E-intake behavior) and sedentary behavior (S-behavior).
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to develop and psychometrically test the Energy Retention Behavior Scale for Children (ERB-C scale).
Methods:
The ERB-C scale was developed, consisting of an 11-item E-intake behavior subscale and a six-item S-behavior subscale. Confirmatory factor analysis and known-group validity were conducted on 371 children to examine the construct validity of this scale, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability were used to examine its reliability.
Results:
Confirmatory factor analysis indicates that the ERB-C scale, including its subscales of E-intake behavior (10 items) and S-behavior (four items), fits the data well. The fit indices were as follows: χ = 268.22, df = 74, p < .001, normed fit index = .91, and nonnormed fit index = .92. The Cronbach's α and test-retest reliability of the ERB-C scale were .81 and .86, respectively. The mean ERB-C scale score for overweight/obese children was significantly higher than for underweight/normal-weight children (z = 3.81, p < .001).
Conclusions/Implications For Practice:
The ERB-C scale showed satisfactory validity and reliability. This scale may help health professionals comprehensively assess the energy retention behavior of children.
