Objective To describe the development, test‐retest reliability, internal consistency, and convergent validity of the McKnight Risk Factor Survey‐III (MRFS‐III). The MRFS‐III was designed to assess a number of potential risk and protective factors for the development of disordered eating in preadolescent and adolescent girls. Method Several versions of the MRFS were pilot tested before the MRFS‐III was administered to a sample of 651 4th through 12th‐ grade girls to establish its psychometric properties. Results Most of the test‐retest reliability coefficients of individual items on the MRFS‐III were r >.40. Alpha coefficients for each risk and protective factor domain on the MRFS‐III were also computed. The majority of these coefficients were r >.60. High convergent validity coefficients were obtained for specific items on the MRFS‐III and measures of self‐esteem (Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale) and weight concerns (Weight Concerns Scale). Conclusions The test‐retest reliability, internal consistency, and convergent validity of the MRFS‐III suggest that it is a useful new instrument to assess potential risk and protective factors for the development of disordered eating in preadolescent and adolescent girls. © 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 25: 195–214, 1999.

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Objective:The purpose of this study was to assess the association between attachment style and weight concerns, a major risk factor for eating disorders, in preadolescent and adolescent girls. Method: Three hundred and five female elementary and middle school students completed measures of attachment style and weight concerns. Results: Insecurely attached subjects reported higher weight concerns than did securely attached subjects. A greater proportion of insecurely attached subjects obtained ''at risk'' weight concerns scores than securely attached subjects. Discussion: The findings suggest that attachment style may play an important role in the development of weight concerns, which, in turn, have been shown to be associated with the onset of eating disorders.

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This study utilizes a unique method to examine reports of stressful life events provided by eating disordered and non-eating disordered adolescents. Subjects (all females) participated in a standardized procedure to obtain reports of stressful life events. The Life Events and Coping Inventory (LECI) was used to categorize reported stressors. Eating disorder subjects discussed more stressors than non-eating disorder subjects only when eating disorder events were included. Furthermore, eating disorder subjects reported more events that could not be classified within the LECI and were rated as non-normative. The findings point to the importance of qualitative rather than purely quantitative approaches to stressful life events assessment with adolescents.

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