Construct validation of the Restraint Scale in normal-weight and overweight females

The Restraint Scale (RS) is a widely used measure to assess restrained eating. The purpose of this study was to examine the construct validity of the RS in a sample of normal-weight ( n=349) and overweight ( n=409) females using confirmatory factor analyses of the RS in relation to other measures for dieting, overeating and body dissatisfaction. Following Laessle et al. [(1989a). A comparison of the validity of three scales for the assessment of dietary restraint. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 98, 504–507], we assumed a three-factor structure: (1) overeating and disinhibitory eating, (2) dieting and restriction of food intake, and (3) body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness. Analyses revealed that the RS loaded significantly on all three factors for both samples, confirming its multifactorial structure. However, the RS appears to capture these constructs differently in overweight and normal-weight females such that the RS may overestimate restraint in overweight individuals. This may explain the greater effectiveness of the RS in predicting counter-regulation in normal-weight than in overweight samples of dieters.