Psychometric properties of the eating disorders inventory (EDI-1) in a nonclinical chinese population in Hong Kong

Objectives: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI-1) in a nonclinical population in Hong Kong. Method: 1,172 (females 606, males 566) Chinese undergraduates completed the Chinese EDI-1; 105 of them also completed the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Results: In female subjects, the Chinese EDI- 1 and its subscales met conventional standards of internal consistency, item- total, item-subscale, and subscale correlations, and exhibited an excellent degree of factorial integrity. The subscales discriminated among male, female, high Drive for Thinness, high Body Dissatisfaction, constitutionally slim, and Canadian female subjects. Female GHQ-12 cases and noncases were only distinguished by the Interpersonal Distrust, Interoceptive Awareness, and Ineffectiveness subscales. 3.3% of female subjects could be characterized as being pathologically weight preoccupied. Discussion: This study provides preliminary evidence that the Chinese EDI-1 is an economical, reliable, and potentially useful self-report instrument for investigating the psychological and behavioral dimensions of eating disorders in Hong Kong. But further work is needed to evaluate its transcultural validity in clinical and less modernized Chinese populations.