Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Salzburg emotional eating scale: a psychometric study

The Salzburg Emotional Eating Scale (SEES) measures emotional eating by evaluating responses to both positive and negative emotions. This study aimed to establish the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the SEES (SEES-TR). The SEES was translated into Turkish and back-translated into English. The translated version was reviewed by experts and pretested on a preliminary sample. The final version was administered to 303 participants from Namık Kemal University (mean age: 22.1 ± 4.8 years, 89.1% female). The data collected included demographic information and responses to the SEES and the Emotional Eating Subscale of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ). Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's omega, and test-retest analyses. Validity was evaluated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, along with content and face validity and convergent validity. The SEES-TR demonstrated high internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha values for the subscales ranged from 0.913 to 0.942, indicating excellent reliability. McDonald's omega values supported these findings. Test-retest reliability indicated stability over time. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a four-factor structure consistent with the original SEES, corresponding to happiness, sadness, anger, and anxiety, further supported by confirmatory factor analysis. Content and face validity were established through expert reviews and pretesting. Significant positive correlations (r = 0.425–0.522, p < 0.01) between the SEES-TR subscales and the DEBQ Emotional Eating Subscale indicate strong convergent validity. The Turkish version of the Salzburg Emotional Eating Scale showed reliability and validity for assessing emotional eating behaviors in the Turkish population. This tool can be useful in both clinical and research settings to evaluate emotional eating in response to various emotional states. Emotional eating refers to eating in response to emotions rather than hunger. This study aimed to validate the Turkish version of the Salzburg Emotional Eating Scale (SEES), which measures changes in emotional eating behavior. The scale was translated, reviewed by experts, and tested on a sample from Namık Kemal University. The Turkish version was shown to be consistent and accurate in assessing emotional eating, confirming its effectiveness in assessing emotional eating behaviors in the Turkish population. This validated tool can help researchers and clinicians better understand and address emotionaleating in Turkiye.