The kids' eating disorders survey (KEDS): Internal consistency, component analysis, and reliability

Abstract
Although eating disorders occur in children, large epidemiologic studies in this age group are lacking. Numerous surveys have been designed for adolescents and adults, but are unsuitable for children. To solve this problem, the Kids' Eating Disorders Survey (KEDS), a 14-item self-report about eating disorders pathology, was developed. The KEDS was administered to 3,178 students in grades 5–8 and then readministered to 234 students within four months. Two major components, one reflecting weight dissatisfaction and another, purging behaviors, were identified via principal component analysis. The KEDS was found to be internally consistent (Chronbach's α = 0.73) and to have good test-retest reliability (r = 0.83). These results suggest the KEDS in an appropriate tool to administer to children in the screening and prevention of eating disorders.

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