Measuring social processes regarding eating, physical activity, and weight in higher-weight people: The weight-related interactions Scale (WRIS)

Summary

This study developed and validated the Weight-Related Interactions Scale (WRIS), a self-report measure of how higher-weight people experience input from others about their eating, physical activity, and weight. Drawing on responses from higher-weight community samples, the authors used exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to establish the scale's structure. The analyses supported a three-factor model capturing Criticism, Minimization, and Collaboration as distinct forms of weight-related social input. The WRIS showed sound psychometric properties, including reliability and associations with related constructs that supported its validity. The measure gives researchers and clinicians a tool for studying how supportive versus unhelpful social interactions relate to weight management and wellbeing.