Measuring Dietary Restraint Status: Comparisons between the Dietary Intent Scale and the Restraint Scale.

The measurement of young women's self-reported dietary restraint status is complex. Compared to Herman and Polivy's commonly utilized Restraint Scale (RS), Stice's Dietary Intent Scale (DIS) is less understood. Because the DIS is becoming a popular research tool, it is important to understand how this scale compares to more traditional measures of restraint. We conducted two correlational studies (Study 1 N = 110; Study 2 N = 216) to ascertain the similarities and the differences between the DIS and - as a comparison measure - the well-researched RS. We explored how the two scales were related to several body image variables (e.g., thin-ideal internalization); with a range of self-regulatory variables (e.g., dispositional self-control); with observed food intake during a taste test; and with 18-month weight change (Study 2 only). Participants were female University students and were not selected for dieting or disordered eating. Unlike RS scores, DIS scores were not significantly correlated with the majority of variables tapping into unsuccessful self-regulation. However, our data also highlighted similarities between the two restraint scales (e.g., association with 18-month weight-loss) and demonstrated that not only were participants' DIS scores un-related to unsuccessful self-regulatory variables, neither were they related to the variables tapping into successful self-regulation.

The construct validity of the Restraint Scale among mainland Chinese women.

This study aimed to test the construct validity of the newly developed Chinese version of the Revised Restraint Scale (RRS) in two separate female samples from Chinese universities (n(1) = 171; n(2) = 158). The RRS is the most widely used measure of restricted eating for the purpose of achieving or maintaining a desired weight. Results showed that the 10-item Chinese RRS comprised of two subscales of concern dieting (CD) and weight fluctuation (WF), which together accounted for 53.01% of the total variance. Confirmative factor analysis supported this two-factor model as an acceptable model (χ(2)/df = 1.545, p < 0.001; RMSEA=0.059, GFI=0.938, and CFI=0.935). Cronbach's alpha coefficients were 0.77 for RRS, 0.71 for CD and 0.66 for WF. Significant correlations were shown between RRS and its subscales ((rRRS-CD) = 0.894, p < 0.01; r(RRS-WF) = 0.850, p < 0.01; r(CD-WF) = 0.523, p < 0.01). Moreover, RS significantly correlated with the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R (TFEQ-R), the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire-R (DEBQ-R), the Fatness Concern (FC) and the body measure index (BMI) (r = 0.548, p < 0.01; r = 0.631, p < 0.01; r = 0.620, p < 0.01; r = 0.351, p < 0.01, respectively). In sum, the RS has stable factor structure, acceptable internal consistency and satisfactory convergent reliability among female Chinese college students. The adapted scale may serve as a useful tool for identifying restrained and unrestrained eaters among Chinese women and may be particularly useful in assessing eating restraint before and after prevention and intervention programs.

Consistencia interna y validez factorial de la versión en español de la escala revisada de restricción alimentaria / Internal consistency and factorial validity of a spanish version of the revised restraint scale

The revised restraint scale (RS) it's a psychometric instrument for measuring chronic alimentary restraint. Aim: To obtain reliability measures and factorial structure of a Spanish RS version. Subjects and methods: 640 female undergraduate students completed the instrument. An exploratory factorial analysis (Le. principal components, with an oblique rotation-oblimin-) was performed over the RS scores. Results: Both RS sub-scales shown appropriate reliability levels, while KMO (0,89) and Barret (x²=1762,22; p< 0,01) test were acceptable. After exploratory factorial analysis two correlated factors (diet concern and weight fluctuations) emerged, explaining 51,25 percent of the variance. Conclusions: The Spanish RS version has a factorial structure congruent with the original self-report.

La escala revisada de restricción alimentaria (ERA) es un instrumento psicométrico que pretende medir la restricción alimentaria crónica. Objetivo: obtener indicadores de Habilidad y la estructura factorial de una versión en español del ERA. Sujeto y Método: 640 mujeres estudiantes universitarias respondieron el instrumento. Sobre los puntajes obtenidos se obtuvieron medidas de Habilidad y se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio, particularmente un análisis de componentes principales con una rotación oblicua (oblimin directa). Resultados: Las subescalas de la ERA muestran niveles adecuados de Habilidad y se obtuvieron valores satisfactorios en la pruebas de KMO (0,89) y de esfericidad de Barret (x²=1762,22; p< 0,01). El análisis factorial exploratorio arrojó un factor de preocupación por la dieta y un factor de fluctuaciones de peso, que en conjunto explican el 51,25 por ciento de la varianza. Conclusión: La estructura factorial de la versión en español de la ERA es congruente con la original.