Development and Validation of the Eating Beliefs and Behaviors Questionnaire for Gastrointestinal Disorders (EBBQ-GID)

Introduction

Previous studies underscore the lack of suitable assessment tools for disordered eating among individuals suffering from a gastrointestinal disorder.

Objective

The present study described the development and validation of the Eating Beliefs and Behaviors Questionnaire for individuals with Gastrointestinal Disorders (EBBQ-GID).

Method

The questionnaire was developed and administered online to 518 French-Canadian adults with a gastrointestinal disorder. The sample was randomly split to perform an exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis.

Results

Results supported a 3-factor structure: Positive commitment (four items), Restrictive attitudes (three items), and Distrust in the diet (three items). Correlational analyses performed with measures of restrictive eating and binge eating supported the convergent validity of the questionnaire, especially for the Restrictive attitudes and the Distrust factors.

Conclusion

In addition to filling a gap in the literature, this 10-item questionnaire is a useful short tool that can assess and distinguish disordered eating from adaptive eating patterns in a context of gastrointestinal disorders.