The development and validation of an Eating Self-Efficacy Scale

Abstract

Following from Bandura's (1977a) self-efficacy theory, an Eating Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES) was developed and its psychometric properties established. Factor analysis of the 25-item scale yielded two reliable factors—one concerned with eating when experiencing negative affect (NA) and the other with eating during socially acceptable circumstances (SAC). The ESES demonstrated good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity. A clinical study using this measure found that increases in ESES scores were significantly related to weight losses among weight loss program participants. A laboratory study using a mood induction procedure found that NA subscale scores predicted food consumption irrespective of whether negative affect was induced. This finding may indicate that people have difficulty accurately discriminating the specific circumstances under which their eating difficulties occur and/or that eating difficulties tend to be global in nature. The significant correlation of the two ESES subscales (r =.39, p <.001) supports these possibilities. The clinical and research utility of the ESES and the implications of the findings are discussed.