DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDITY OF THE DISORDERED EATING ATTITUDE SCALE (DEAS)

The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Disordered Eating Attitude Scale to measure disordered eating attitudes, defined as abnormal beliefs, thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and relationship regarding food. Exploratory factor analysis was performed and internal consistency assessed in a sample of female university students (N=196). Convergent validity was acceptable based on statistically significant correlations with the Eating Attitude Test-26 and Restraint Scale. Known-groups validity was determined by comparing the student sample`s mean scores against scores of an eating disorder group (N=51). The Disordered Eating Attitude Scale comprises 25 questions and five subscales explaining 54.3% of total variance. The total scores differentiated student, bulimia, and anorexia groups. The scale should prove useful for evaluating eating attitudes in various population groups and eating disordered patients.

A 2-year follow-up study of work ability among college educators

The aim of this study was to evaluate work ability among college educators before and after an intervention at the workplace. An administrative restructuring in the workplace started to be implemented in 2005. The work ability index (WAI) was administered to 154 educators before the restructure in 2004 and to 60 educators following the restructure in 2006. A mest comparing the WAI score of the 60 educators who took part in both phases showed a trend of improving work ability (p = 0.06; mean WAI in 2004 was 41.7 and 43.3 in 2006). The results suggest that the intervention led to an improvement in psychosocial factors, which in turn positively influenced work ability. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.