The Japanese Association of School Health

Research Paper

ISSN ONLINE : 1880-2400

[School Health Vol.9, 14-22, 2013]

Development of the Japanese Version of the Disordered Eating Attitude Scale (DEAS) -Validity and Reliability among Female University Students

Naomi Chisuwa*, Satoshi Shimai**, Toshi Haruki* and Marle Santos Alvarenga***

  • *Graduate School of Human Life Science, Osaka City University
  • 3-3-138 Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi, Osaka, 558-8585 Japan
  • chisuwa@life.osaka-cu.ac.jp
  • **Faculty of Nursing, Japanese Red Cross Toyota College of Nursing
  • 12-33 Nanamagari, Hakusan, Toyota, Aichi 471-8565 Japan
  • ***Department of Nutrition, Public Health School, University of Sao Paulo
  • Doutor Arnaldo Avenue 715, 2nd Floor, S?o Paulo, SP 01246-904, Brazil

[Received September 12, 2012 ; Accepted May 17, 2013]

Keywords:
Disordered eating, Eating attitudes, Eating disorders, Female university students

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Abstracts

Background: Disordered eating attitudes and behaviors are experienced among young women
in Japan as well as in many westernized countries. To understand the psychopathology of
disordered eating attitudes toward food and eating, instruments that evaluate eating attitudes
from different dimensions can be useful and contribute to the prevention of eating-related
health issues in the general population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and
reliability of the Japanese version of the recently developed Disordered Eating Attitude Scale
(DEAS).
Methods: The DEAS English version was translated into Japanese and the consistency of
contents was confirmed. The DEAS Japanese version was applied to 144 female university
students. Internal consistency was determined (Cronbach’s Alpha), convergent validity was
assessed by correlations with Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) and test-retest reliability was
assessed with a sub-sample (n = 62).
Results: The internal consistency was .76. The DEAS total score was positively correlated with
EAT-26 total scores (r = 0.53). The correlation between test-retest was r = 0.705. The Japanese
version of DEAS showed an acceptable level of validity and reliability.
Conclusion: It is suggested the DEAS could be applied to Japanese females and used for
further cultural comparison with Spanish and English speaking populations.
Methods: The DEAS English version was translated into Japanese and the consistency of contents was confirmed. The DEAS Japanese version was applied to 144 female university students. Internal consistency was determined (Cronbach’s Alpha), convergent validity was assessed by correlations with Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) and test-retest reliability assessed with a sub-sample (n=62).
Results: The internal consistency was .76. The DEAS total score was positively correlated with EAT-26 total scores (r=0.53). The correlation between test-retest was r=0.705. The Japanese version of DEAS showed an acceptable level of validity and reliability.
Conclusion: It is suggested the DEAS could be applied for Japanese females and for further cultural comparison with Spanish and English speaking populations.

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