Does the Creature of Habit Scale capture general habit tendencies? Lessons from anorexia nervosa.
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The Creature of Habit Scale (COHS) was designed to assess general habit tendencies, with Automaticity and Routine subscales assessing distinct features of habits. However, the Automaticity subscale is composed predominantly of eating-related items, raising questions about the scale’s construct and content validity. To evaluate this, COHS scores were compared between individuals with anorexia nervosa, restricting subtype (ANr; n = 35) and controls (n = 26), and associations with eating disorder habit strength (Self-Report Habit Index) and psychopathology (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire; Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire) were examined. Automaticity scores were significantly lower in ANr than controls (W = 192, p < .001). Within ANr, Automaticity was negatively associated with eating disorder severity (B = -2.74, p < .001) and eating-related habits (B = −4.18, p < .001). Automaticity was positively associated with TFEQ Disinhibition across groups (B = 0.39, p < .001) and, within ANr, negatively associated with TFEQ Restraint (B = -0.21, p = .012). The Automaticity subscale of the COHS may primarily reflect disinhibited eating rather than general habitual tendencies, challenging its construct and content validity and suggesting caution in its use as a general habit measure in eating disorders and across populations.
Source: PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints)
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7214073742