Assessment methods for eating disorders and body image disorders

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Growing interest in eating disorder treatment and research necessitates robust assessment methods.
• Numerous questionnaires exist to evaluate behavioral and attitudinal aspects of eating pathology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review assessment tools widely utilized in clinical practice and research for eating disorders.
• To summarize psychometric properties of self-report measures and diagnostic questionnaires based on DSM-IV criteria.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on eating disorder assessment tools.
• Categorization of instruments into screening questionnaires, symptom-specific measures, quality of life tools, and body image disorder assessments.

Main Results:

• Detailed coverage of self-report measures and diagnostic questionnaires.
• Discussion of instruments for screening, specific symptoms, quality of life, and body image.
• Analysis of distorting factors affecting assessment authenticity, such as denial and concealment.

Conclusions:

• Highlights the importance of evaluating co-occurring psychopathological features alongside eating disorder assessment.
• Emphasizes the need for authentic assessment tools considering psychological phenomena like denial and concealment.