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A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Smoking and Weight Eating Episodes Test (SWEET)

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International Journal of Behavioral Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

The Smoking and Weight Eating Episodes Test (SWEET; Adams et al. 2011) is a self-report measure designed to assess multiple reasons why and when smokers use cigarettes for appetite, weight, and shape management, that was initially developed and validated in young female smokers.

Purpose

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the factor structure and psychometric properties of the SWEET measure among both male and female daily cigarette smokers.

Method

Participants (n = 577; Mage = 44.42; SD = 13.80; 52.7% female) were daily smokers recruited through Qualtrics Online Sample for an anonymous study on smoking and health. On average, participants reported smoking for 25.7 years (SD = 14.35), smoked 17.0 cigarettes per day (SD = 8.38), and had moderate levels of tobacco dependence.

Results

Confirmatory factor analyses supported the initial factor structure found in the original SWEET measure suggesting a four-factor structure fit the data well, but not a one-factor structure. Factors included using cigarettes for appetite suppression, using cigarettes to prevent overeating, smoking to cope with body dissatisfaction, and using cigarettes to cope with appetite-related withdrawal symptoms. Tests of measurement invariance revealed no significant differences when evaluating SWEET scores by participant sex. The SWEET factor scores evidenced internal consistency, known groups validity, convergent validity with related constructs (compensatory eating behaviors, tobacco dependence) and cessation-relevant variables (smoking abstinence expectancies, prior withdrawal symptoms), and discriminant validity with physical activity and sedentary behavior.

Conclusions

The present study provides evidence in support of the validity and reliability of scores on the SWEET as a multidimensional measure of smoking for appetite, weight, and body-related concerns in male and female daily cigarette smokers.

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Funding

This study was funded by a Qualtrics Behavioral Research Grant. The first author is supported by a grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (T32-HL076134-11). The second author is supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (T32-AA007459). The third author is supported by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (K23-DA035288).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, 02906, USA

    Samantha G. Farris, Erika Litvin Bloom & Ana M. Abrantes

  2. The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA

    Samantha G. Farris

  3. Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA

    Samantha G. Farris & Ana M. Abrantes

  4. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA

    Samantha G. Farris

  5. Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA

    Angelo M. DiBello

  6. Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA

    Erika Litvin Bloom

Authors
  1. Samantha G. Farris
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  2. Angelo M. DiBello
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  3. Erika Litvin Bloom
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  4. Ana M. Abrantes
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Contributions

Drs. Farris and Bloom reviewed the literature, and Dr. Farris wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Dr. DiBello conducted data analyses. All authors contributed and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Samantha G. Farris.

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Conflict of Interest

Dr. Bloom has been a consultant for WayBetter, Inc. All other authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. For this type of study, formal consent is not required. No identifying information was collected. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

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Farris, S.G., DiBello, A.M., Bloom, E.L. et al. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Smoking and Weight Eating Episodes Test (SWEET). Int.J. Behav. Med. 25, 465–472 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-018-9717-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-018-9717-0

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