Children's eating attitudes test (ChEAT): validation and reliability in Turkish children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Background:

• Eating disorders in children are a growing concern.
• Accurate assessment tools are crucial for early detection and intervention.
• The Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT) is a widely used measure, but its validity in diverse populations needs examination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT).
• To assess the factor structure and psychometric properties of the ChEAT in a Turkish child population.
• To explore correlations between ChEAT scores and the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ).

Main Methods:

• A sample of 331 children (ages 8-15) participated.
• Data collection involved face-to-face interviews using socio-demographic, ChEAT, and CEBQ questionnaires.
• Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability analyses (internal consistency, test-retest) were conducted.

Main Results:

• A three-factor solution for the Turkish ChEAT was identified, explaining 50.1% of the variance.
• The ChEAT demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.75) and test-retest reliability (0.72).
• Significant correlations were found between ChEAT and CEBQ, with specific subscales correlating with obesity and social eating pressures.

Conclusions:

• The Turkish version of the ChEAT is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing eating attitudes in Turkish children.
• The findings support the use of the ChEAT for clinical and research purposes in this population.
• Further research can explore its predictive validity and application in different cultural contexts.