Further validation of the visceral sensitivity index: Psychometric properties and utility for predicting disordered eating in a diverse university sample

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) visceral sensitivity (i.e., anxiety/worry over GI sensations) may be a key maintaining factor for disordered eating; however, it is unknown whether GI visceral sensitivity predicts the range of disordered eating behaviors in nonclinical samples. The current preregistered study aimed to replicate previous construct validity findings of the Visceral Sensitivity Index (VSI; i.e., factor structure, convergent and discriminant validity) and examine its criterion-related validity for predicting a range of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in a diverse undergraduate sample. A total of 591 university students were retained in the final analytic sample (53 % women; 23 % Hispanic [Any Race], 10 % Asian, 9 % Black) and completed the VSI, disordered eating, and additional validity measures. A confirmatory factor analysis tested the factor structure of the VSI, and correlations were used to examine convergent and discriminant validity. Hierarchical regressions and t-tests were used to examine criterion-related validity. Results replicated previous construct validity findings in a diverse undergraduate sample. Exploratory analyses supported invariance of the VSI across gender and the VSI discriminated between individuals at high- versus low-risk for an eating disorder and predicted a range of disordered eating attitudes (e.g., body dissatisfaction) and behaviors (e.g., restricting, binge eating, purging, compulsive exercise). GI-specific anxiety appears to be transdiagnostic across disordered eating behaviors and relevant across the spectrum of disordered eating severity. Future work may include developing transdiagnostic models of GI visceral sensitivity in disordered eating and investigating inclusion of the VSI in university screening efforts.