The anorexia nervosa stages of change questionnaire and the bulimia nervosa stages of change questionnaire: Their psychometric properties in a Turkish sample

Objective: Deficits in motivation to change are common among individuals with eating disorders, yet there has been an absence of research on motivation in non-Western countries. The aim of this study was to develop mea-sures of motivation to change based on the Anorexia Nervosa Stages of Change Questionnaire (ANSOCQ) and the Bulimia Nervosa Stages of Change Questionnaire (BNSOCQ) in a Turkish population. Methods: Forty-four women with anorexia nervosa and thirty-one women with bulimia nervosa participated in the study. In order to show the reliability of the ANSOCQ and BNSOCQ, Cronbach’s alpha values were evaluated. Pearson Correlation Coeffi-cient test was used to analyze correlations between the ANSOCQ/BNSOCQ and both the Eating Disorder Exami-nation Questionnaire (EDEQ) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The Student’s t-test for independent samples was used to compare mean total scores on the ANSOCQ and BNSOCQ across the current phase of illness groups. Results: The Turkish versions of the ANSOCQ and BNSOCQ demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha=0.92 and 0.89, respectively). In terms of convergent validity, negative correlations were found between the ANSOCQ/BNSOCQ and each of the EDEQ subscales and (for the ANSOCQ alone) the BDI. Also, participants in the active phase of illness reported a significantly lower level of motivation compared to those in remission. Discus-sion: The study provides initial support for the reliability and validity of the ANSOCQ and BNSOCQ in a Turkish sample, which will enable greater cross-cultural research on motivation in eating disorders.