ABSTRACT

Objectives

Eating disorders are among the significant psychiatric conditions observed in children and adolescents. Practical and easily applicable screening tools for eating disorders in this population are limited. The aim of this study is to adapt the Eating Disorder Scale for Children and Adolescents into Turkish and contribute it to the literature.

Materials and Methods

The study included 350 participants aged 8 to 13 who presented to a training and research hospital. Along with the Eating Disorder Scale for Children and Adolescents, a sociodemographic data form and similar scales were administered to assess construct validity, and data were collected accordingly.

Results

The participants were found to form a relatively homogeneous group with a normal distribution. The internal consistency coefficient (Cronbach’s alpha) of the scale was calculated as 0.632. Factor analysis revealed a five-factor structure, consistent with the original scale, with factor loadings of the items falling under each factor at acceptable levels. The fit indices in the confirmatory factor analysis (root mean square error of approximation =0.046; comparative fit index and normed fit index =0.95 ve 0.896; standardized root mean square residual =0.034) indicated an acceptable model fit. The total variance explained by the scale was calculated to be 61.97%.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Eating Disorder Scale for Children and Adolescents is a reliable, rapid, practical, and cost-effective measurement tool for identifying eating disorders and assessing eating attitudes in the pediatric population in Türkiye.