The Compulsive Exercise Test: confirmatory factor analysis and links with eating psychopathology among women with clinical eating disorders.

Caroline Meyer,Nicola Brewin,Carolyn R Plateau,Jackie Wales,Lorin Taranis,Jon Arcelus

doi:10.1186/s40337-016-0113-3

Abstract

BackgroundThis study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Compulsive Exercise Test (CET) among an adult sample of patients with eating disorders.MethodThree hundred and fifty six patients and 360 non-clinical control women completed the CET and the Eating Disorders Examination questionnaire (EDE-Q).ResultsA confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the clinical data showed a moderate fit to the previously published five factor model derived from a community sample (Taranis L, Touyz S, Meyer C, Eur Eat Disord Rev 19:256-268, 2011). The clinical group scored significantly higher than the non-clinical group on four of the five CET subscales, and logistic regression analysis revealed that the CET could successfully discriminate between the two groups. A Receiver Operating Curve analysis revealed that a cut-off score of 15 on the CET resulted in acceptable values of both sensitivity and specificity.ConclusionsThe CET appears to have a factor structure that is acceptable for use with an adult sample of patients with eating disorders. It can identify compulsive exercise among patients with eating disorders and a cut-off score of 15 is acceptable as indicating an appropriate cut-off point.

Highlights

This study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Compulsive Exercise Test (CET) among an adult sample of patients with eating disorders
A Receiver Operating Curve analysis revealed that a cut-off score of 15 on the CET resulted in acceptable values of both sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing patients with and without features of compulsive exercise
Within its current form, the current findings suggest that the CET can be used with clinical groups, since this is the first attempt at validating the factor structure within an adult clinical sample, further research is required to replicate the current findings

Summary

Introduction

This study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Compulsive Exercise Test (CET) among an adult sample of patients with eating disorders. Compulsive exercise is an important component of eating psychopathology. The Compulsive Exercise Test (CET) was developed to assess this characteristic. A recent review reported that up to 85 % of eating disordered patients engage in compulsive exercise [16]. Compulsive exercise has been defined as a rigid and highly driven urge to be physically active, in association with a perceived inability to stop exercising despite the individual being aware of the possible negative consequences [45].

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