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Measuring personal values that are specific to eating: reliability, factors, and eating pattern correlates
1Oregon State University, Psychology Department, Corvallis 97330-5404.
Journal of Clinical Psychology
|March 1, 1989
Summary
The Eating Values Survey (EVS) measures eating-related values, finding significant links between these values and eating disorder variables. This study introduces a new tool to explore the influence of personal values on eating behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Nutrition Science
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Eating disorders, especially weight control disorders, are challenging to modify long-term.
- Personal values influence long-term behavior, but their impact on eating patterns remains understudied due to a lack of specific measurement tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate the Eating Values Survey (EVS) for measuring eating-related values.
- To investigate the relationship between eating values and eating disorder variables.
Main Methods:
- The Eating Values Survey (EVS) was created to assess priorities across 21 eating-related values.
- 109 male and 99 female university students completed the EVS, with responses assessed for stability over two weeks.
- Factor analysis identified five key factors: Gusto, Easy Necessity, Orderliness, Gourmet, and Social Approval.
Main Results:
- The EVS demonstrated stability over a 2-week period.
- Five distinct factors emerged from the EVS data.
- EVS scores showed significant correlations with self-reported eating disorder indicators, including being overweight and self-induced vomiting.
Conclusions:
- The EVS is a reliable instrument for measuring eating-related values.
- Eating values are associated with eating disorder variables, suggesting a potential avenue for intervention.
- Sex differences in eating values are primarily differences in emphasis rather than fundamental distinctions.