Validation of the Barcelona Bipolar Eating Disorder Scale for bipolar patients with eating disturbances

Eating disturbances are frequent in bipolar disorder and are associated with poor outcome. Our objective is to assess the psychometric properties of a specific scale for the evaluation of eating disturbances in bipolar patients.

Validation study of 2 groups with a 6-month follow-up (90 patients diagnosed with bipolar and eating disturbances and 40 healthy controls).

The scale showed: (1) adequate feasibility (non- response <2.5%); (2) adequate reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficients = 0.79 and 0.57 in groups A and B; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.79 in group A); (3) adequate discriminant validity between patients and controls [AUC = 0.85; moderate correlations with the Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh (r = 0.32-0.64); low correlations with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Young Mania Rating Scale and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17 (r < 0.3)]; (4) adequate sensitivity to changes.

The Barcelona Bipolar Eating Disorder Scale showed adequate psychometric properties to assess eating disturbances in bipolar patients in clinical practice and research.