Dieting Beliefs Scale – DBS
Measures an individual's weight locus of control, assessing beliefs about internal control versus external factors like genetics, environment, or luck in weight regulation.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Dieting Beliefs Scale – DBS was developed by Stephen Stotland & David C. Zuroff (1990). It is designed to measure Weight Locus of Control. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 16 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not at all descriptive of my beliefs, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, 6 = Very descriptive of my beliefs.
The scale includes 8 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 16 to 96. Interpretation guidelines:
- Strong External Locus of Control (Belief that weight is controlled by genetics, environment, or luck): 16 – 42
- Moderate/Mixed Locus of Control: 43 – 69
- Strong Internal Locus of Control (Belief that weight is controlled by personal effort and behavior): 70 – 96
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha ranges from .68 to .75.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.