Reliability of the ecSatter Inventory as a tool to measure eating competence.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the reliability of the ecSatter Inventory (ecSI), a measure of eating competence.


METHODS
Self-report questionnaires were administered in person or by mail. Retesting occurred 2 to 6 weeks after completion of the first questionnaire.


METHODS
Both administrations of the questionnaire were completed by 259 participants who were mostly food secure, white females with some college education; mean age was 26.9 +/- 10.4 years.


METHODS
Test-retest reliability and internal consistency.


METHODS
Spearman's rank correlation coefficients to estimate test-retest reliability and Cronbach alpha coefficients to estimate internal consistency.


RESULTS
Spearman's rank correlation coefficient for ecSI total score was 0.68; subscale coefficients were 0.70 for eating attitudes, 0.70 for contextual skills, 0.65 for food acceptance, and 0.52 for internal regulation. Cronbach alpha coefficient for ecSI total score was 0.77. Subscale alphas coefficients were 0.80 for eating attitudes, 0.69 for contextual skills, 0.68 for food acceptance, and 0.66 for internal regulation.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides psychometric evidence about the reliability of ecSI as a measure of eating competence in this sample. Although some ecSI items may require revision, results suggest that the instrument may be used to evaluate nutrition education designed to improve eating competence.
Stotts
Jodi L
JL
Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16801, USA. jls862@psu.edu
Lohse
Barbara
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012650:Self Disclosure; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*