The Eating
Attitudes Test (EAT-26) is probably
the most widely used standardized self-report
measure of symptoms and concerns characteristic
of eating disorders. The EAT-26 is a refinement of the original EAT-40 that was first published in 1979 and used in one of the first studies to examine socio-cultural factors in the development and maintenance of eating disorders. Since that time, the test has been translated into many different languages and used in hundreds of studies. The original publication (Garner, D.M. & Garfinkel, P.E., 1979, Psychological Medicine, 9, 273-279.) and the subsequent publication describing the refinement of the test (Garner et al., 1982, Psychological Medicine, 12, 871-878) are the 3rd and 4th on the list of the 10 most cited articles in the history of the journal Psychological Medicine. This journal was founded more than 40 years ago. Thus, the Eating Attitudes Test has had a huge impact in the field of eating disorders and you can take the test today and download a copy for free on this website.
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.
If you have a low score on the EAT-26 (below 20),
you still could have a serious eating problem,
so do not let the results deter you from seeking
help. For example, some individuals with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) score low on the EAT-26 but may have a serious eating disorder.
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. Regardless of the score, if a respondent feels that they are suffering from feelings that are intervering with daily functioning, they should seen an evaluation from a trained mental health professional.
Referral can also be based on collateral information
from friends, family or medical professionals.
The EAT-26 has been widely used and
has been translated into many different languages
over the past 30 years. It became a Current Contents
Citation Classic in 1993 and since that time papers describing the
test's development and validation have been some of the most cited papers in the scientific literature
on eating disorders. |
