Eating disorders' instruments validated and adapted for the Hispanic/Latino population in the United States.

Abstract

The instruments to explore eating disorders (ED) have been developed and evaluated mainly for the Caucasian population. This situation has limited the availability of instruments validated and adapted for the Latino/Hispanic population. Due to the challenge it represents for researchers in the United States who study ED in Latinos/Hispanics, this article aims to review the instruments in Spanish that have been validated and adapted for the Latino/Hispanic population living in the United States. In addition, psychometric and cultural considerations that should be incorporated when using an instrument that has been constructed and evaluated for a specific population or sub-population will be discussed. Four instruments, two to establish diagnoses of ED (S-EDE and EDE-Q) and two to explore symptoms associated with body dissatisfaction (BSQ and BICI) were identified. The availability of instruments in Spanish for use with Latinos in the United States is very limited and has not been evaluated in all the subgroups of Latinos / Hispanics that comprise the population in the United States. This is a challenge for clinicians and researchers working with the Latino / Hispanic community with ED in the United States. (Words count: 186).