Development and Validation of the Mealtime Behaviors Self-Report Questionnaire

Disturbances in eating are a hallmark feature of eating disorders (EDs). However, these disturbances extend beyond dietary patterns, as clinicians have long observed aberrant mealtime behaviors in individuals with EDs. Despite these observations, research on aberrant mealtime behaviors has been limited to a small case study of individuals with anorexia nervosa. Clinically, however, individuals across all ED diagnoses appear to exhibit these behaviors. Notably, there is currently no existing measure designed to assess aberrant mealtime behaviors. Developing such an assessment could provide clinicians with valuable information to inform mealtime interventions. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the prevalence of aberrant mealtime behaviors across ED diagnoses and evaluate the psychometric properties of a newly developed mealtime behavior questionnaire in a sample of individuals with EDs (N = 498). A series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. Results indicated that the best-fitting model was an 18-item questionnaire with three factors. The questionnaire was significantly associated with ED psychopathology and behaviors, highlighting the clinical relevance of these mealtime patterns.