Validation of the Flexible and Rigid Cognitive Restraint Scales in a General French Population

Sandrine Péneau; Marc Bénard; Margaux Robert; Benjamin Allès; Valentina A Andreeva; Frédéric Courtois; Mathilde Touvier; Christophe Leys; France Bellisle

doi:10.3390/ijerph191912519

Validation of the Flexible and Rigid Cognitive Restraint Scales in a General French Population

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Sep 30;19(19):12519. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191912519.

Authors

Sandrine Péneau¹, Marc Bénard¹, Margaux Robert¹, Benjamin Allès¹, Valentina A Andreeva¹, Frédéric Courtois¹, Mathilde Touvier¹, Christophe Leys², France Bellisle¹

Affiliations

¹ Sorbonne Paris Nord University, INSERM U1153, INRAE U1125, CNAM, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center-University of Paris (CRESS), 93017 Bobigny, France.
² Faculty of Psychological Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue Franklin Roosevelt, 50-CP191, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.

Abstract

Distinguishing between flexible and rigid cognitive restraint (CR) may be useful for understanding the role of CR in dietary behavior and weight status. This study aimed to translate and adapt the flexible and rigid CR scales to the French context and test their psychometric properties. Construct validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were examined in a sample of 620 individuals. Confirmatory factor analysis of the scales found a two-factor structure (flexible CR: 12 items; rigid CR: 15 items) that provided a good fit and supported the initial solution (χ² = 584.7, df = 322, CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.052 [0.045, 0.059], TLI = 0.95). Higher flexible and rigid CR were associated with higher CR overall, emotional eating (TFEQ-R21) and eating disorders (SCOFF), and lower intuitive eating (IES-2). In addition, higher flexible CR was associated with lower impulsivity (BIS-11) while higher rigid CR was associated with higher uncontrolled eating (TFEQ-R21) and lower self-esteem (RSES), satisfaction with life (SWLS), and optimism (LOT-R). Flexible and rigid CR internal consistency was satisfactory (McDonald ω = 0.77 and 0.74, respectively) and test-retest reliability was good (ICC = 0.81 and 0.79, respectively). This study validated a flexible and rigid CR tool in a French population and confirmed that these two types of CR represent distinct eating behaviors.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03335644.

Keywords: Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire; dietary restraint; eating behavior; psychometrics; validation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Body Mass Index
Cognition*
Feeding Behavior* / psychology
Humans
Psychometrics
Reproducibility of Results
Surveys and Questionnaires

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT03335644

Grants and funding

The NutriNet-Santé Study is supported by the French Ministry of Health (DGS), the Santé Publique France agency, the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM), the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), the National Conservatory for Arts and Crafts (CNAM), the Medical Research Foundation (FRM), and the University Sorbonne Paris Nord.