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The development of a scale to measure orthorexia nervosa

dc.contributor.authorKramer, Melanie E., author
dc.contributor.authorRickard, Kathryn, advisor
dc.contributor.authorConner, Bradley T., committee member
dc.contributor.authorWdowik, Melissa, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-04T22:59:08Z
dc.date.available2017-01-04T22:59:08Z
dc.date.issued2016
dc.description.abstractDue in part to the obesity epidemic occurring today in the United States, the public discussion of healthy eating has become an emerging social trend (Chaki et al., 2013). Evidence suggests that since the importance of healthy eating has been increasingly emphasized, individuals have become more aware of how their diet impacts their overall health, and many have attempted to adjust their food choices (Bagci Bosi et al., 2007; Nicolosi, 2006). It has been suggested that, for some, healthy eating has been taken to the extreme, resulting in social, physical, and psychological consequences (Chaki et al., 2013). The term Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) was originally developed by Steven Bratman; he conceptualized ON as a way to describe an obsession about proper nutrition and a "fixation" on healthy eating (Bratman & Knight, 2000). Currently, very little is known about ON as a construct, and neither a formal operational definition nor standard diagnostic criteria of ON exist. Although, there are two scales that measure ON (Donini, 2007; Gleaves et al., 2013), neither scale seems to fully capture this phenomenon. This study will attempt to develop a valid and reliable scale, the Orthorexia Nervosa Scale (ONS), to more accurately and fully capture the construct of ON. The first step was the development of the ONS items, which included a thorough review of the literature and consultation with experts in the field. 103 items were retained to form the initial version of the ONS. Using a development sample (n = 712), I conducted a parallel analysis on the items. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was also conducted and items were selected according to their psychometric quality. The EFA revealed a 10-factor structure with 47 items. The second step was conducting a confirmatory factor analysis on the data from a second development sample (n = 397). Analyses indicated a good model fit of the 47-item, 10-factor scale after making model modifications. This measure will be a useful tool in future research and clinical work related to ON. A new, more comprehensive, measure of ON which captures all of its components could lead eventually to improved treatment for these individuals.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediummasters theses
dc.identifierKramer_colostate_0053N_13891.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10217/178854
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.titleThe development of a scale to measure orthorexia nervosa
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplinePsychology
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (M.S.)

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