French validation of the Compensatory Eating and Behaviors in Response to Alcohol Consumption Scale (CEBRACS) in a university student sample.

Purpose: Food and Alcohol Disturbance (FAD) is characterized by the combination of problematic alcohol use and eating disorder symptoms to offset caloric intake associated with alcohol drinking and/or to enhance intoxication. The Compensatory Eating and Behaviors in Response to Alcohol Consumption Scale (CEBRACS) is a proven tool for measuring FAD, validated in English and Italian populations but never in the French population. The present study aims at validating a French version of the CEBRACS in a representative sample of university students and to determine its validity and reliability.

Methods: 2267 university students completed the CEBRACS and measures of eating disorders, alcohol consumption and exercise.

Results: An exploratory factor analysis revealed a 4-factor structure: enhancement of the effects of alcohol, dietary restraint and exercise, purging and vomiting and extreme fasting. The internal consistency for these subscales ranged from good to excellent. Correlations between the CEBRACS and eating disorders, alcohol and exercise measures revealed a good concurrent validity. No gender differences were found in the CEBRACS scores. Participants with a CEBRACS total score > 21 points were at higher risk for developing eating disorders and alcohol-related problems.

Conclusions: These findings highlight the reliability and validity of the French version of the CEBRACS. The distinct factors identified in the CEBRACS allow to distinguish between participants with different motives for engaging FAD behaviour and thus to prevent future development of eating and/or alcohol use disorders. The CEBRACS seems to be a relevant scale to capture FAD behaviors and thus to prevent negative and deleterious consequences.

Level of evidence: Level III, evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies.