Reliability and Validity of a Transdiagnostic Measure of Reward Valuation Effort

To identify biobehavioral mechanisms underlying excessive reward consumption, reward valuation—effort (RV-E) assessments should (a) parallel measures in basic science to permit translation from preclinical to clinical studies; (b) quantify constructs dimensionally from healthy to disease states; and (c) hold relevance across different diagnostic categories. To address these aims, we developed a progressive ratio (PR) task whereby RV-E is measured as breakpoint when participants worked for access to playing a game. We evaluated test–retest reliability of breakpoint and convergent and discriminant validity of interpretations of this score against an established PR task for food. In Study 1, female undergraduates (N = 71; 33% racial minority; 28% ethnic minority) completed the game and food tasks in fasted and fed states. In Study 2, women (N = 189; 29% racial minority; 27% ethnic minority) with eating disorders (n = 158) were compared to controls (n = 31) on tasks. Game task breakpoint demonstrated excellent test–retest reliability, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) =.91, 95% CI [.80, −.96], over 2 weeks and convergent validity with the fasted food task (r =.51, p <.001). Consistent with animal models, breakpoint was lower in fed compared to fasted states across tasks, B (SE) = 321.01 (552.40), p <.001. Finally, the game task demonstrated discriminant validity from measurement of satiation. In Study 2, women with eating disorders demonstrated higher breakpoint on both tasks compared to controls, and game PR task breakpoint decreased from a fasted to fed state.