Validation of a new screening questionnaire for disordered eating behaviors in men

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop an instrument to identify disordered eating behaviors (DEB) in college men (hereafter, DEBM-Q).

Methods: A two-stage project consisting of a diagnostic scale construction (n₁ = 9 for interviews, n₂ = 9 for cognitive laboratory) and a validation study with a cross-sectional sample (N = 570) was carried out. Both semi-structured interviews and a cognitive laboratory with nine participants were conducted to obtain DEBM-Q items. DEBM-Q was applied to 570 freshmen male in Mexico City. Psychometric characteristics and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) were analyzed. An item-total correlation value greater than 0.30 was determined, and factor loads greater than 0.40 were considered valid. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA, n₁ = 297) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA, n₂ = 273) were performed.

Results: Two fixed factors explaining 55.08% of the total variance were extracted. Factor 1, "Drive for Thinness" (8 items), explained 30.84% of the variance, whereas factor 2, "Drive for Muscularity" (8 items), explained 24.23% of the variance. Cronbach's alpha for the whole questionnaire was 0.84. DEBM-Q was correlated with the Dutch Food Restriction Scale (RS) (r = 0.52, p < 0.001), Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) (r = 0.46, p < 0.001), Emotional Eating Scale (EES) (r = 0.18, p < 0.001), and Negative Affect Subscale (PANAS-X) (r = 0.11, p < 0.005).

Conclusion: DEBM-Q is a valid and practical short screening tool (16 items) allowing early identification of disordered eating in young men, thereby facilitating clinical management.

Level of evidence: Level V: Opinions of authorities, based on descriptive studies, narrative reviews, clinical experience, or reports of expert committees.

Keywords: College men; Disordered eating; Drive for muscularity; Drive for thinness.