Investigating the Validity of the MMPI-3 Eating Concerns (EAT) scale across Men and Women in a University Sample

Abstract

Disordered eating is a major health epidemic that occurs at disproportionate rates among young adults and for which gender plays a major role in symptom presentation. Broadband psychological instruments have historically not included disordered eating as a core scale construct. The recent release of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3) offers an opportunity to address this shortcoming through the newly developed Eating Concerns Scale (EAT) for which the existing literature is promising but limited. This study expands research on EAT by investigating its validity and comparing findings across gender. In 345 college students (102 men, 243 women), we examined gender differences between men and women in the EAT scale’s structure, item endorsement rates, mean scores, and correlations with measures of body image and eating pathology. Differences emerged in item endorsement rate, scale score elevation rate, and correlation magnitudes. Broadly, findings further support EAT’s use in detecting eating pathology and highlight ways in which the EAT scale may not effectively capture masculine expressions of eating pathology, namely binging and purging behaviors. To assess eating pathology more comprehensively, clinicians and researchers should consider including assessments of eating pathology inclusive of masculine eating patterns. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed.

Data availability statement

Raw data were generated at Texas Tech University. Derived data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author [C.S. Morris] on request.

Notes

1 There are also a variety of other eating pathology concerns which clinicians see, including Other specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OSFED), night eating syndrome, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. These disorders, while important to fully understanding assessment with MMPI-3's EAT scale, were not the focus of this study and are not reviewed here. They remain an important area for future study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by University of Minnesota Press, Test Division.