Assessing Discriminant Validity through Structural Equation Modeling: The Case of Eating Compulsivity.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Nutrition
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Food addiction (FA) and disordered eating behaviors are increasingly recognized in obesity research.
• The modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (mYFAS2.0) is the standard for FA assessment.
• The Measure of Eating Compulsivity 10 (MEC10) is another tool used for eating behavior assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the discriminant validity of the MEC10 in relation to the mYFAS2.0 and the Binge Eating Scale (BES).
• To assess the psychometric properties of the MEC10 and mYFAS2.0 in a severe obesity population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 717 inpatients with severe obesity.
• Participants completed the MEC10, BES, and mYFAS2.0 questionnaires.
• Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze latent factor correlations.

Main Results:

• The MEC10 and mYFAS2.0 demonstrated supported discriminant validity (correlation est = 0.783).
• The MEC10 and BES showed a lack of discriminant validity (correlation est = 0.86), suggesting overlap.
• Both scales confirmed excellent psychometric properties.

Conclusions:

• The MEC10 exhibits strong psychometric properties.
• The MEC10 appears to be a more accurate measure of Binge Eating Disorder (BED) than Food Addiction (FA).
• Further research is needed to clarify the MEC10's specific application in differentiating eating behaviors.