Factor Structure, Reliability, and Convergent Validity of an Ecological Momentary Assessment Binge-Eating Symptoms Scale

• Published in: Evaluation & the health professions Vol. 48; no. 2; pp. 189 - 194
• Main Authors: Mason, Tyler B., Morales, Jeremy C., Smith, Alex, Smith, Kathryn E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.06.2025; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Addictions; Adult; Binge eating; Binge-Eating Disorder - diagnosis; Binge-Eating Disorder - psychology; Bulimia - diagnosis; Convergent validity; Correlation; Eating disorders; Ecological momentary assessment; Ecological Momentary Assessment - standards; Exploratory factor analysis; Factor Analysis; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Factor Structure; Female; Food; Food Addiction - diagnosis; Food Addiction - psychology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Psychometrics; Quantitative psychology; Reliability; Reproducibility of Results; Restaurants; Structural Equation Models; Surveys and Questionnaires - standards; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Validity; Young Adult; psychometrics; food addiction; ecological momentary assessment; binge eating
• ISSN: 0163-2787; 1552-3918; 1552-3918
• DOI: 10.1177/01632787241249500

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of binge-eating symptoms has deepened our understanding of eating disorders. However, there has been a lack of attention on the psychometrics of EMA binge-eating symptom measures. This paper focused on evaluating the psychometric properties of a four-item binge-eating symptom measure, including multilevel factor structure, reliability, and convergent validity. Forty-nine adults with binge-eating disorder and/or food addiction completed baseline questionnaires and a 10-day EMA protocol. During EMA, participants completed assessments of eating episodes, including four binge-eating symptom items. Analyses included multilevel exploratory factor analysis, computation of omega and intraclass correlation coefficients, and multilevel structural equation models of associations between contextual factors and binge-eating symptoms. A one within-subject factor solution fit the data and showed good multilevel reliability and adequate within-subjects variability. EMA binge-eating symptoms were associated with baseline binge-eating measures as well as relevant EMA eating characteristics: including greater unhealthful food and drink intake; higher perceived taste of food; lower likelihood to be planned eating; and lower likelihood of eating to occur at work/school and other locations and greater likelihood to occur at restaurants compared to home. In conclusion, the study findings support the psychometrics of a 4-item one-factor EMA measure of binge-eating symptoms.