Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory within the Brazilian context. Specifically, it assessed the scale's efficacy in measuring disordered eating behaviors, with an emphasis on binge eating, and investigated its relationship with food cravings. METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized data from a non-probabilistic convenience sample of 1,374 Brazilians. Confirmatory factor analysis and multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis were employed to examine the factor structure and assess invariance across groups with and without binge-eating symptoms. Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega, while external validity was assessed through Pearson's correlations between Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory and Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait-reduced scores. Discriminant validity was analyzed using Welch's t-test. RESULTS: The confirmatory factor analysis supported the eight-factor model, demonstrating a good fit across the overall sample (Comparative Fit Index=0.936, root mean square error of approximation=0.057). Reliability analysis indicated high internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega values ranging from 0.745 to 0.917. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis confirmed measurement invariance across groups with and without binge-eating symptoms. The Welch two-sample t-test showed significantly higher Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory scores in the binge-eating group. Furthermore, Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory subscales related to binge-eating behaviors exhibited strong correlations with food craving scores, supporting the scale's external validity. CONCLUSION: The Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory demonstrates strong reliability and validity as a tool for assessing eating disorder symptoms in Brazil, with effectiveness in distinguishing binge-eating behaviors.