Journal Article

Validation of the eating pathology symptoms inventory (EPSI) in Swedish adolescents

Birgegård, Andreas, Bjureberg, Johan, Isomaa, Rasmus, Monell, Elin

2024

Overview

Background Eating disorders (ED) are associated with symptoms across body image, disordered eating, and exercise-related domains, and while predominantly affecting females, ED in males is also a significant concern. However, popular self-report methods insufficiently capture male presentations. This study aimed (1) to validate the first Swedish translation of the Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory (EPSI), which was designed to overcome limitations in previous measures, and (2) compare genders gender-specific manifestations of eating pathology, depression, and anxiety in Swedish high-school students. Methods Participants were 359 high-school students (47% males) aged 17.0 years (range 15–21). Results Confirmatory factor analysis and correlation patterns showed support for the 8-factor structure and convergent validity, but poorer discriminant validity may suggest caution in interpreting single scales as evidence of ED pathology. Gender comparisons were broadly consistent with previous research. Conlusions : The Swedish EPSI may be used to asses ED symptoms, but caution is suggested in interpreting some scales in isolation as indicative of ED pathology. Plan English summary Indivudals with eating disorders (ED) experience symptoms that have to do with body image, disordered eating, and physical exercise. Most who get an ED are female, but males are also affected. However, many symptom questionnaires do not capture how males experience their illness very well. In this study, we wanted to (1) test a Swedish translation of the Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory (EPSI), which was designed to overcome some limitations in other questionnaires, and (2) compare male and female Swedish high-school students on ED symptoms, depression, and anxiety. Participants were 359 students (47% males) aged ≈ 17 years (range 15–21). Statistical analysis showed that the 8 suggested scales of the EPSI overall function as expected, and that the EPSI seems to measure ED symptoms well, but that it also has some overlap with depressive and anxiety symptoms. Males and females differed from one another in ways that resembled what other researchers have found. We conclude that the Swedish EPSI works well, but that some of the scales might not, on their own, suggest that a person has problems with ED, unless other more ED-specific scales also indicate such symptoms.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,BMC
• Subject: Analysis / Behavioral Science and Psychology / Clinical Psychology / Depression, Mental / Eating disorder / Eating disorders / Factor analysis / Gender / Health Promotion and Disease Prevention / Medical research / Medicine, Experimental / Psychiatry / Psychology / Questionnaire / Teenagers / Translating and interpreting / Validity / Youth