Validation of the Emotional Eating Scale Among Chinese Undergraduates

Abstract

We examined emotional eating among undergraduates in China. The Emotional Eating Scale (EES; Arnow, Kenardy, & Agras, 1995) was translated into Chinese and adapted to assess intensity and frequency of eating in response to different emotions. A factor analysis generated 4 subscales of emotions for which eating is a response: anxiety, depression, anger/hostility, and positive emotion. Internal consistency reliability for the subscales was established (Cronbach's alpha = .817, .852, .832, and .861, respectively). Moderate correlations were found between all subscales, eating pathology, and impulsive control. Positive emotion and negative emotion were found to play an important role in eating behavior. As there was a strong relationship between emotional eaters, especially negative emotional eaters, and eating psychopathology, these individuals may be at high risk of developing an eating disorder and/ or becoming obese.