Eating Attitudes Test
Encyclopedia
The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) is a widely used standardized self-report measure of symptoms and concerns characteristic of eating disorders and is more fully described on the EAT-26.com website . The original 40-item version of the EAT was published in 1979 ; it was developed for a study to examine socio-cultural factors in the development and maintenance of eating disorders A 1982 publication by Garner and colleagues described a 26-item refinement of the original test . Since that time, the EAT has been translated into many different languages and used in hundreds of studies. The original 1979 paper is a Current Contents Citation Classic . Both the original paper and the subsequent 1982 publication are 3rd and 4th on the list of the 10 most cited articles in the history of the journal Psychological Medicine
http://www.foreignpolicybulletinmonitor.com/action/mostCitedArticle?jid=PSM, a journal founded more than 40 years ago with a high Impact Factor
in the fields of psychology and psychiatry.
The EAT-26 can be used in a non-clinical as well as a clinical setting not specifically focused on eating disorders. It can be administered in group or individual settings and is designed to be administered by mental health
professionals, school counselors, coaches, camp counselors, and others with interest in gathering information to determine if an individual should be referred to a specialist for evaluation for an eating disorder. It is ideally suited for school settings, athletic programs, fitness centers, infertility clinics, pediatric practices, general practice settings, and outpatient psychiatric departments. It is intended primarily for adolescents and adults.
The EAT-26 is not designed to make a diagnosis
of an eating disorder or to take the place of a professional diagnosis or consultation. The EAT-26 alone does not yield a specific diagnosis of an eating disorder. Neither the EAT-26, nor any other screening instrument, has been established as highly efficient as the sole means for identifying eating disorders.
The EAT-26 has been particularly useful a screening tool to assess "eating disorder risk" in high school, college and other special risk samples such as athletes. Screening for eating disorders is based on the assumption that early identification can lead to earlier treatment, thereby reducing serious physical and psychological complications or even death. The EAT-26 should be used as the first step in a two-stage screening process. According to this methodology, individuals who score 20 or more on the test should be interviewed by a qualified professional to determine if they meet the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder.
The tests are rated on a six-point scale in response to how often the individual engages in specific behaviors. The questions may be answered:
Always,
Usually,
Often,
Rarely,
Sometimes, and
Never.
Completing the EAT-26 yields a "referral index" based on three criteria: 1) the total score based on the answers to the EAT-26 questions; 2) answers to the behavioral questions related to eating symptoms and weight loss, and 3) the individual’s body mass index (BMI) calculated from their height and weight. Generally a referral is recommended if a respondent scores "positively" or meets the "cut off" scores or threshold on one or more criteria.
Permission to use the EAT-40 or EAT-26 can be obtained from David Garner through the EAT-26 website http://www.eat-26.com or the River Centre Clinic http://www.river-centre.org. The EAT-26, scoring instructions can be downloaded and website links (with automated scoring and feedback) can be obtained without cost from the EAT-26 website.
Psychological Medicine
Psychological Medicine is a peer-reviewed medical journal in the field of psychiatry and related aspects of psychology and basic sciences. According to the Journal Citation Reports, the journal has a 2010 impact factor of 5.200, ranking 6th out of 73 journals in the category "Psychology", 11th out...
http://www.foreignpolicybulletinmonitor.com/action/mostCitedArticle?jid=PSM, a journal founded more than 40 years ago with a high Impact Factor
Impact factor
The impact factor, often abbreviated IF, is a measure reflecting the average number of citations to articles published in science and social science journals. It is frequently used as a proxy for the relative importance of a journal within its field, with journals with higher impact factors deemed...
in the fields of psychology and psychiatry.
The EAT-26 can be used in a non-clinical as well as a clinical setting not specifically focused on eating disorders. It can be administered in group or individual settings and is designed to be administered by mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
professionals, school counselors, coaches, camp counselors, and others with interest in gathering information to determine if an individual should be referred to a specialist for evaluation for an eating disorder. It is ideally suited for school settings, athletic programs, fitness centers, infertility clinics, pediatric practices, general practice settings, and outpatient psychiatric departments. It is intended primarily for adolescents and adults.
The EAT-26 is not designed to make a diagnosis
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of anything. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines with variations in the use of logics, analytics, and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships...
of an eating disorder or to take the place of a professional diagnosis or consultation. The EAT-26 alone does not yield a specific diagnosis of an eating disorder. Neither the EAT-26, nor any other screening instrument, has been established as highly efficient as the sole means for identifying eating disorders.
The EAT-26 has been particularly useful a screening tool to assess "eating disorder risk" in high school, college and other special risk samples such as athletes. Screening for eating disorders is based on the assumption that early identification can lead to earlier treatment, thereby reducing serious physical and psychological complications or even death. The EAT-26 should be used as the first step in a two-stage screening process. According to this methodology, individuals who score 20 or more on the test should be interviewed by a qualified professional to determine if they meet the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder.
The tests are rated on a six-point scale in response to how often the individual engages in specific behaviors. The questions may be answered:
Always,
Usually,
Often,
Rarely,
Sometimes, and
Never.
Completing the EAT-26 yields a "referral index" based on three criteria: 1) the total score based on the answers to the EAT-26 questions; 2) answers to the behavioral questions related to eating symptoms and weight loss, and 3) the individual’s body mass index (BMI) calculated from their height and weight. Generally a referral is recommended if a respondent scores "positively" or meets the "cut off" scores or threshold on one or more criteria.
Permission to use the EAT-40 or EAT-26 can be obtained from David Garner through the EAT-26 website http://www.eat-26.com or the River Centre Clinic http://www.river-centre.org. The EAT-26, scoring instructions can be downloaded and website links (with automated scoring and feedback) can be obtained without cost from the EAT-26 website.
See also
- Eating Disorder InventoryEating Disorder InventoryThe Eating Disorder Inventory is a self-report questionnaire used to assess the presence of eating disorders, Anorexia Nervosa both restricting and binge-eating/purging type; Bulimia Nervosa; and Eating disorder not otherwise specified including Binge Eating Disorder...
- Body Attitudes QuestionnaireBody Attitudes QuestionnaireThe Ben-Tovim Walker Body Attitudes Questionnaire is a 44 item self-report questionnaire divided into six subscales that measures a woman's attitude towards their own body. The BAQ is used in the assessment of eating disorders. It was devised by D.I. Ben-Tovim and M.K...
- Body Attitudes TestBody Attitudes TestThe Body Attitudes Test was developed by Probst et al. in 1995. It was designed for the assessment of eating disorders in women. The BAT measures an individual's subjective body experience and attitudes towards one's own body it differentiates between clinical and non-clinical subjects and between...
- SCOFF questionnaireSCOFF questionnaireThe SCOFF questionnaire utilizes an acronym in a simple five question test devised for use by non-professionals to assess the possible presence of an eating disorder. It was devised by Morgan et al. in 1999. The original SCOFF questionnaire was devised for use in the United Kingdom, thus the...
External links
- http://www.eat-26.com
- http://www.river-centre.org
- http://www.foreignpolicybulletinmonitor.com/action/mostCitedArticle?jid=PSM