van Strien et al., (1986): 653 women and 517 men
• Reliability: Cronbach’s alpha = 0.80 to 0.95 across scales and groups
• Five factor, Three scale model: Restrained Eating, Emotional Eating (three sections), and External Eating
Wardel, 1987: (Study 2): 107 women in weightwatchers, 61 bulimic patients and 33 anorexic patients and outpatients.
• Three factor model
• Distinguished between the three groups
Halvarsson & Sjoden (1998): 117 9-10 year old Swedish girls
• Reliability: Cronbach’s alpha = 0.83 for total score; 0.77-0.86 for subscales
• Validity: Correlated with the ChEAT (Children’s Eating Attitude Test), r = 0.45 for the total DEBQ; r = 0.75 for DEBQ ‘Restrained Eating Scale’ and the ChEAT ‘Dieting’ scale
• Three factor model
van Strien & Oosterveld (2007): Children’s DEBQ: 769 children ages 7 to 12 years. 20 questions written using simplified sentence structure and a response scale of no, sometimes and yes.
• Reliability: Cronbach’s alpha = 0.80 Restrained eating, 0.81 Emotional eating, and 0.74 External eating
• Validity: Correlations between DEBQ-C scores, various eating behaviour (snacks, breakfast) and activities (time spent with sports, television, or computer) as well as body dissatisfaction, parental pressure and parental restrictions
• Three factor model (Emotional, Restrained eating and External Eating)
Allison, Kalinsky, & Gorman (1992): DEBQ–Restraint scale: 989 obese and nonobese undergraduate students in New York area
• Reliability: Cronbach’s alpha = 0.95; Test-retest of 34 participants after 2 weeks = 0.92 (DEBQ-R)
• One factor (Restraint)
Utility for Prevalence Surveys:
• Fair
Research Applicability:
• Widely used
Copyright, Cost and Source Issues:
• Proprietary. Contact
[email protected] for costs and permission to use for research or clinical purposes. Please note that this measure was previously listed as within the public domain in error. This instrument is protected under international copyright laws.
Source Reference:
van Strien, T., Frijters, J. E. R., Bergers, G. P. A., & Defares, P. B. (1986). The Dutch eating behaviour questionnaire (DEBQ) for assessment of restrained, emotional, and external eating behaviour.
International Journal of Eating Disorders, 5, 295-315.
Supporting References:
Allison, D. B., Kalinsky, L. B., & Gorman, B. S. (1992). A comparison of the psychometric properties of three measures of dietary restraint.
Psychological Assessment, 4(3), 391-398.
Halvarsson, K., & Sjoden, P-O. (1998). Psychometric properties of the Dutch eating behaviour questionnaire (DEBQ) among 9-10-year-old Swedish girls. European Eating Disorders Review, 6, 115-125.
van Strien, T., & Oosterveld, P. (2008). The children’s DEBQ for assessment of restrained, emotional and external eating in 7 to 12-year-old children. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 41(1), 72-81.
Wardle, J. (1987). Eating style: A validation study of the Dutch eating behaviour questionnaire in normal subjects and women with eating disorders. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 31(2), 161-169.
Strengths:
• Used in a variety of populations
Weaknesses:
• Lengthy for use in prevalence surveys, although some investigators use selected subscales. Better suited for clinical and more in-depth investigations.