Psychometric properties of shortened versions of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire in Brazilian women.

Abstract

Objective: The Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) is a widely used 28-item instrument for screening eating disorders, of which 22 are attitudinal items used to compute subscale scores and to assess factorial structure, while six open-ended items assess behavioral frequency and are excluded from dimensional analyses. Shorter versions, such as the EDE-Q7, EDE-Q8, and EDE-Q18, have been proposed to enhance accessibility and psychometric properties. This study aimed to evaluate different factorial structures of the EDE-Q and identify the model that best fits a sample of Brazilian adult women.

Methods: A total of 712 women completed the EDE-Q and measures of body satisfaction and sociocultural pressures. The factorial structure was analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and convergent validity and internal consistency were also assessed.

Results: The multifactorial structure of the original EDE-Q and the 18-item model did not fit the sample well. Although the 7-item model showed acceptable fit, the 8-item version demonstrated the best fit. The EDE-Q8 factors showed a negative association with appearance evaluation and body area satisfaction, and a positive association with internalization of the thin and muscular body ideal and body mass index. Internal consistency was adequate.

Conclusion: The 8-item short version of the EDE-Q is a reliable and practical psychometric tool for assessing disordered eating behaviors in Brazilian adult women. Future studies should explore the psychometric performance of the EDE-Q8 across different age ranges, gender groups, and clinical populations to strengthen evidence for its cross-cultural validity and generalizability.

Level of evidence: Level III, well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies.