Psychometric evaluation of the Turkish version of anticipated effects of food scale (AEFS): a Rasch analysis study

Abstract

Purpose- The purpose of this study was to translate, culturally adapt, and psychometrically validate the Anticipated Effects of Food Scale (AEFS) for use in T & uuml;rkiye. Design/methodology/approach- A total of 742 adults completed an online survey including the AEFS, Palatable Eating Motives Scale (PEMS), and Eating Expectancy Inventory (EEI). The adaptation followed international guidelines for translation and test adaptation. Psychometric analyses included content validity, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Rasch modeling (Rating Scale Model), internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's omega), test-retest reliability (ICC), and convergent validity. Findings- Content validity indices ranged from 0.88 to 1.00 (S-CVI = 0.94). EFA confirmed the original two-factor structure (positive and negative emotional expectancies). Rasch analysis identified cultural and statistical misfit in the items Ashamed and Worried, which were removed. The final 29-item version demonstrated excellent item fit (Infit/Outfit MNSQ 0.54-1.46), adequate unidimensionality, high person-separation reliability (>0.88), strong internal consistency (alpha=0.927-0.969; omega=0.927-0.970), and moderate-to-high test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.783-0.833). AEFS subscales showed theoretically meaningful positive correlations with PEMS and EEI, supporting convergent validity. Originality/value- This is the first validation of the AEFS in the Turkish context and one of the few studies to apply Rasch modeling to expectancy-based eating measures. The refined Turkish AEFS provides a culturally robust and psychometrically strong tool for assessing emotional expectancies toward food. It offers valuable applications for research, clinical assessment, and interventions targeting expectancy-driven eating behaviors in T & uuml;rkiye.