Concern over Weight and Dieting Scale (COWD)

Abstract

The Concern over Weight and Dieting Scale (COWD) is a brief, 14-item psychological scale designed to measure the extent of an individual’s preoccupation with weight, body dissatisfaction, and engagement in various dieting and weight-loss behaviors. Developed by D. M. Kagan and R. L. Squires in 1984, the instrument is frequently employed in research settings to screen for attitudes and practices that may be indicative of risk factors for eating disorders, particularly among younger populations such as adolescents and college students. The scale uses a simple scoring system to provide a quantifiable measure of the severity of weight-related concerns and behaviors.

Keywords

Weight concern, dieting behaviors, body dissatisfaction, body image, adolescent psychology, eating pathology, psychological assessment, weight loss methods.

Authors

D. M. Kagan, R. L. Squires

Purpose

The primary purpose of the COWD scale is to quickly and effectively quantify the degree of an individual’s concern regarding their body size and weight, alongside the frequency and intensity of their dieting attempts and compensatory behaviors. It aims to assess both the cognitive and behavioral components associated with weight management efforts that may extend beyond normative health practices.

The instrument serves as a valuable tool for researchers studying the prevalence and patterns of disordered eating attitudes in non-clinical samples. By measuring these specific concerns and behaviors, the COWD allows for early identification of individuals who exhibit high levels of preoccupation and may require further clinical assessment regarding their body image issues or risk of developing an eating disorder.

Construct

The COWD measures a multi-faceted psychological construct centered on weight preoccupation and the behavioral manifestations of restrictive eating and excessive dieting. This construct is generally considered to encompass three main components:

• Cognitive Concern: Items related to self-perception (e.g., feeling bad about being fat, feeling guilty after eating) and monitoring (e.g., awareness of calorie content).
• Behavioral Restriction: Items measuring active restrictive practices (e.g., skipping meals, avoiding fattening foods, fasting for weight loss).
• Weight Loss Efforts: Items assessing the history and frequency of utilizing various weight loss methods (e.g., diet medicine, exercise classes, commercial diets).

Validity

The original research utilizing the COWD scale, conducted by Kagan and Squires (1984), demonstrated initial evidence of its validity. High scores on the COWD were shown to correlate significantly with other indices of psychological distress and related constructs, such as measures of compulsive eating, stress, and hostility, particularly among college students. This suggests that the scale successfully measures the intended construct of maladaptive weight and dieting concern, distinguishing individuals with higher pathology from those with normative health concerns.

Further validation studies have incorporated the COWD into broader analyses of body image and self-focused attention, confirming its utility as a reliable indicator of weight concern across diverse populations, including adolescents and young adults.

Reliability

Specific details regarding the internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) of the COWD scale are typically reported in the initial publication by Kagan and Squires (1984). As a standardized 14-item instrument used frequently in large-scale studies, the scale is generally understood to possess adequate psychometric properties necessary for a screening tool. Researchers utilizing the COWD should refer to the original source materials or comprehensive measures sourcebooks, such as that by Fischer and Corcoran (2007), for detailed reliability coefficients, which are essential for ensuring accurate interpretation of scores.

Factor Analysis

While the explicit results of the factor analysis are not provided in the summary source content, it is standard practice for instruments developed in the 1980s to undergo factor analysis to confirm the underlying structure. Given the scope of the items—covering attitudes, behaviors, and history—the scale may be interpreted as either largely unidimensional (measuring overall weight concern severity) or potentially multi-factor, reflecting the distinct components of cognitive preoccupation versus behavioral engagement in dieting. Users are advised to consult the original 1984 academic papers for detailed factor loading information.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-Report Screening Tool/Attitude Measure

Format: 14 items, utilizing a 5-point multiple-choice or Likert-type response structure for scoring (a=1, b=2, c=3, d=4, e=5).

Language Available: English (Primary validation language).

Population Group: Non-clinical and clinical populations focusing on weight-related attitudes.

Age Group: Adolescents and Young Adults (College Students).

Population Details: Originally validated on adolescent and university student samples, making it particularly suitable for research on developmental risk factors for eating pathology.

Test Methodology: Standard paper-and-pencil or digital administration. Scoring is achieved by summing the numerical value associated with each response, yielding a total score where higher scores indicate greater concern over weight and increased dieting behavior.

Keywords

Weight preoccupation, compulsive eating, psychological screening, self-assessment, body weight, caloric awareness, weight loss strategies, risk factors.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Information not explicitly provided.

Affiliation Email addresses: Information not explicitly provided.

Correspondence Address: Information not explicitly provided.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1984

Permissions & Fee: The scale is published within academic sourcebooks, suggesting it is generally available for use in research and clinical practice, although users should verify copyright status with the original authors or publishers (Oxford University Press for the sourcebook).

The original PDF of this instrument can be downloaded here: http://acumen.lib.ua.edu/content/u0015/0000001/0000384/u0015_0000001_0000384.pdf

Reference’s

• Kagan, D. M., & Squires, R. L. (1984). Eating disorders among adolescents: patterns and prevalence. Adolescence. 19 (73), 15–29.
• Kagan, D. M., & Squires, R. L. (1984). Compulsive eating, dieting, stress, and hostility among college students. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25(3), 213-220.
• Kagan, D. M., and Squires, R. L. (1984). Concern over Weight and Dieting (COWD). In Fischer, Joel., Corcoran, Kevin J. (2007). Measures for Clinical Practice and research: A sourcebook. (4th ed.). NY. Oxford University Pr. Vol. 1, Page (s): 502-504.
• Payne, Keith. (1997). “The Effect of Self-Focused Attention on Psychopathology”. Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects. Paper 129. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_hon_theses/129
• Thomad, Martina. (2010). Perceptions of body image among low socioeconomic status African American mothers and their daughters in the Mobile, Alabama. University of Alabama, Master of Arts thesis.

Items of the Concern over Weight and Dieting Scale (COWD)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. The worst thing about being fat is:
a. No opinion, b. Getting teased, c. Feeling unsexy, d. Being unpopular, e. Feeling bad about yourself

2. What is the greatest amount of weight you ever lost on a diet?
a. Never on a diet, b. 10 Ibs, c. 11-19 Ibs, d. 20-29 Ibs, e. 30 Ibs or more

3. Do you think you are overweight now?
a. Don’t know, b. No, c. Yes: by less than 10 Ibs, d. Yes: 10-19 Ibs, e. Yes: by 20 Ibs or more

4. How often do you skip one meal so you will lose weight?
a. Never, b. Once or twice a year, c. Once a month, d. Once a week, e. More than once a week

5. How often do you avoid eating fattening foods like candy so you will lose weight?
a. Never, b. Once or twice a year, c. Once a month, d. Once a week, e. More than once a week

6. How often do you hate yourself or feel guilty because you cannot stop overeating?
a. Never, b. Once or twice a year, c. Once a month, d. Once a week, e. More than once a week

7. How often do you go without eating solid food for 24 hours or more so you will lose weight?
a. Never, b. Once or twice a year, c. Once a month, d. Once a week, e. More than once a week

8. If a special weight-control course were offered at this school, would you take it?
a. No opinion, b. No, c. Probably not, d. Probably yes, e. Definitely yes

9. How often do you feel guilty after eating?
a. Never, b. Once in a while, c. Frequently, d. Very frequently, e. All the time

10. How often are you aware of the calorie content of the food you eat?
a. Never, b. Once in a while, c. Frequently, d. Very frequently, e. All the time

11. How old were you when you first started worrying about your weight?
a. Never, b. 12 years or less, c. 13-14 years, d. 15-16 years, e. 17-18 years

How many times have you tried each of the weight loss methods listed below?

12. Diet medicine (pills, liquids, or powders).
a. Never, b. Once, c. Twice, d. Three times, e. More than three times

13. Health spa or exercise class (including aerobic dancing).
a. Never, b. Once, c. Twice, d. Three times, e. More than three times

14. Diet published in a book or magazine or recommended by a friend or relative.
a. Never, b. Once, c. Twice, d. Three times, e. More than three times

a=1, b=2, c=3, d=4, e=5