Using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM) To Examine the Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Farsi Version of the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (F-ChEAT) among Iranian Preadolescents Across Gender and Age

Despite considerable examination of the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT) in Western societies, there is no study about the ChEAT in Iran. The purpose of the current study was to translate and examine the factor structure and measurement invariance of the Farsi version of the ChEAT (F-ChEAT) among Iranian preadolescents. Iranian preadolescents (N = 717) completed the F-ChEAT and demographic information. Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) was used to examine the factor structure and measurement invariance across gender and age. A 5-factor, 15-item ESEM model showed an excellent fit of the data. Tests of measurement invariance suggested that scores on the latent means could be meaningfully compared across gender and age. Girls had higher latent means on the Food Preoccupation and Caloric Awareness and Control factors, and older preadolescents had higher latent means on all the F-ChEAT factors, except for the Dieting factor. Findings suggest that a 5-factor, 15-item ESEM model of the F-ChEAT was a useful assessment tool to understand disordered eating symptoms in Iranian preadolescents.