The Chinese Eating Disorder Brief Screening Scale (CEDBS): Development and Psychometric Validation in General and...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Mental Health
• Psychometrics
• Public Health

Background:

• Eating disorders (EDs) are a growing public health concern in China.
• Existing screening instruments for EDs in China lack validation for large-scale use.
• There is a need for efficient and reliable tools to identify individuals with EDs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Chinese Eating Disorder Brief Screening Scale (CEDBS).
• To provide a psychometrically sound instrument for the early detection of EDs in Chinese populations.
• To facilitate large-scale screening and timely intervention for EDs.

Main Methods:

• Scale development involved item generation, expert review, cognitive interviews, and a pilot study.
• Psychometric properties were examined in large non-clinical and clinical samples using factor analysis, reliability analyses (McDonald's ω, ICC), and correlation analyses.
• Screening accuracy was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Main Results:

• The final 10-item CEDBS exhibited a unidimensional structure with high internal consistency (ω=0.95) and good test-retest reliability (ICC=0.81).
• CEDBS scores showed strong convergent validity with established ED measures (rs=0.51-0.87) and moderate discriminant validity with an anxiety scale (r=0.35).
• ROC analysis indicated good screening accuracy (AUC=0.88) with an optimal cutoff of 16.5 (sensitivity=0.75, specificity=0.84).

Conclusions:

• The CEDBS is a brief, psychometrically validated screening tool for identifying probable eating disorder cases in Chinese populations.
• An integer cutoff score of 17 is suggested for practical application of the CEDBS.
• The CEDBS has the potential to improve early detection and intervention for eating disorders in China.