Construction and validation of a mindful eating scale: A first approximation in the Mexican population

Abstract

Worldwide, mindful-eating (ME) research has gained high relevance on health psychology because of its relationship with psychological dysfunction and eating disorders. However, ME has been scarcely studied in Mexico. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a scale to assess this construct in a positive (ME) and negative sense (mindless-eating). Also, evaluating its psychometric properties in a Mexican population. After the scale was designed, it was completed by 527 undergraduate students (Mage = 20.8, SD = 2.0), the data obtained yielded two factors that explained 59% of variance: Mindless eating (α = .84) and Emotional eating (α = .68). Subsequently, the confirmatory factor analysis was conducted in 227 undergraduate students (Mage = 20.71 SD = 1.76), yielded one-dimensional model and obtained adequate fit indices (X2 = 10.15, p = .33; X2/df = 1.12; CFI = .99; TLI = .98; RMSEA y SRMR = .02) to assess mindless eating. This study was a first approximation in ME assessment on Mexican population. Future research is expected to improve obtained results.