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The Eating Attitudes Test: psychometric features and clinical correlates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

David M. Garner ,
Marion P. Olmsted ,
Yvonne Bohr  and
Paul E. Garfinkel
David M. Garner*
Affiliation:
Clarke Institute of Psychiatry and the University of Toronto, Canada
Marion P. Olmsted
Affiliation:
Clarke Institute of Psychiatry and the University of Toronto, Canada
Yvonne Bohr
Affiliation:
Clarke Institute of Psychiatry and the University of Toronto, Canada
Paul E. Garfinkel
Affiliation:
Clarke Institute of Psychiatry and the University of Toronto, Canada
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr David M. Garner. Clarke Institute of Psychiatry. 250 College Street. Toronto. Ontario M5T I R8. Canada.
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Synopsis

Psychometric and clinical correlates of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) are described for a large sample of female anorexia nervosa (N = 160) and female comparison (N = 140) subjects. An abbreviated 26-item version of the EAT (EAT-26) is proposed, based on a factor analysis of the original scale (EAT-40). The EAT-26 is highly correlated with the EAT-40 (r = 0·98) and three factors form subscales which are meaningfully related to bulimia, weight, body-image variables and psychological symptoms. Whereas there are no differces between bulimic and restricter anorexia nervosa patients on the total EAT-26 and EAT-40 scores, these groups do indicate significant differences on EAT-26 fractors. Norms for the anorexia nervosa and female comparison subjects are presented for the EAT-26, EAT-40 and the EAT-26 factors. It is concluded that the EAT-26 is a reliable, valid and economical instrument which may be useful as an objective measure of the symptoms of anorexia nervosa.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 12 , Issue 4 , November 1982 , pp. 871 - 878
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

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