Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) and modified YFAS 2.0 (mYFAS 2.0): Rasch analysis and differential item functioning

Plain English summary Food addiction is related to eating disorders and may overlap with a variety of disorders, including binge-eating disorder, night-eating syndrome, bulimia nervosa or other conditions. Therefore, it is important for healthcare providers to assess food addiction and one commonly used method is using the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) developed by Gearhardt and her colleagues. The YFAS has been updated and revised into two versions: the YFAS 2.0 and modified YFAS 2.0 (i.e., mYFAS 2.0). Psychometric testing studies have reported the feasibility and adequate properties for both the YFAS 2.0 and mYFAS 2.0. However, prior studies’ findings were based on classical test theory (CTT) findings. The present study thus used a modern test theory (i.e., Rasch models) to examine if both the YFAS 2.0 and mYFAS 2.0 have similarly satisfactory psychometric properties shown in the CTT findings. The present findings using Rasch models support the use of both the YFAS 2.0 and mYFAS 2.0 to assess food addiction among youth. Therefore, healthcare providers may use either the YFAS 2.0 or mYFAS 2.0 to assess levels of food addiction.