Abstract

Background/Objectives: Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) constructs are associated with adolescents’ eating habits. Validated surveys are needed to assess these constructs (in different populations and languages), considering both personal and socio-environmental factors, including peer influence. Therefore, the objective of this study was to validate the SCT-based Scale for Factors Influencing Eating Behavior in Adolescents (SCT-FIEBA), in Spanish. Methods: The scale was administered to 705 high school students from two schools in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, Mexico, with randomized and stratified selection. Two weeks later, 43 participants completed the retest. Construct validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA); internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega; and temporal stability was assessed using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Additionally, factor patterns influencing eating behavior were identified using hierarchical cluster analysis and discriminant analysis. Results: EFA (n = 353) showed an adequate structure with seven or eight factors (with 34 items). However, CFA (n = 352) showed a better fit with eight factors and 33 items (RMSEA = 0.073, SRMR = 0.083, CFI = 0.91, TLI = 0.90) than the other models. The scale’s internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.92, CI 0.92–0.93; McDonald’s omega = 0.93, CI 0.92–0.93), with all sections scoring from moderate to excellent. The reproducibility indices were good for the whole scale (ICC = 0.70, CI 0.50–0.82) and four sections; the other four presented moderate values. It is recommended to verify reproducibility in a larger sample. Hierarchical cluster analysis yielded better results with four patterns influencing eating behavior based on SCT, and the discriminant analysis results were satisfactory (Wilks’ lambda = 0.108; 87% of cases correctly classified). Conclusions: The SCT-FIEBA demonstrated validity and reliability for assessing SCT constructs applied to eating behavior among high school adolescents in a Mexican population, as well as for identifying four distinct psychosocial patterns that influence eating behavior.

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