Anorexia nervosa test. The eating attitude test is the most famous test for bulimia

There are almost no girls and women who are satisfied with their figure - this is an axiom.

But for some of us, this discontent turns into a manic desire to lose weight.

At any cost: starvation diet, hours of exercise, fear of eating, so as not to gain weight and not stray from the path to the ideal - a figure like a concentration camp victim ...

And even when everyone around you asserts that you are slim, one phrase sounds in your head: I am fat, you need to lose weight. And it's not just fear. This is a mental deviation - the plague of the XXI century!

Unfortunately, in our time, every second girl is in the iron grip of this ailment, sometimes not realizing it, and sometimes simply afraid to seek help. Give a yes or no answer for each test item. Be honest. Remember, there is no point in lying to yourself.

Anorexia test

1. You are unhappy with your own weight. You are constantly pursued by the desire to lose weight. Even if your weight is normal or below normal, you still think that you are fat. Calculating your normal weight is very simple: subtract 110 from the value of your height in centimeters. The number that you get will be the ideal weight for you.

2. You are sure that you are fat, although others say that it is not.

3. Exercise too much. For example, you can get up at night to do abs, jump rope, or go for a run.

4. Constantly weighing yourself and counting calories.

5. You are sometimes attacked by attacks of wolfish appetite. After another gluttony, you artificially induce vomiting or take a laxative.

6. There are significant fluctuations in body weight: three or more kilograms per month.

7. In the store, you often buy a large number of harmful and high-calorie foods, which you often refuse to yourself, in order to consume them all, knowing in advance that everything will end up in the toilet.

8. You regularly take laxatives, diuretics and emetics.

9. Feel constant apathy, sadness, depression, and sleep disturbance.

10. You are characterized by a sharp change in mood: irritability and sadness, then euphoria, gaiety, which are replaced by crying, hysteria. And this is not related to events in your life (for example, a quarrel with a loved one).

11. Reduced activity, not inherent in your nature. If before you were light on your feet, diversified your leisure time, was interested in cinema, theater, etc., now everything suddenly became indifferent to you. I don't want to go anywhere, meet with anyone, nothing arouses interest, except for the thought of how to lose weight.

12. Avoid being present at collective feasts, events and celebrations where food intake is inevitable.

13. After each meal you take a long look at yourself in the mirror or go to the bathroom to induce vomiting.

14. Suddenly you become addicted to topics related to food: you suddenly have
interest in cooking, collecting recipes, cookbooks. You cook gourmet meals and organize lavish meals for family and friends, but you yourself do not participate in the meal.

15. Suddenly there was a desire to become a vegetarian, but this is not due to the fact that you feel sorry for the animals - you have not given up leather handbags, clothes and shoes. Ask yourself if you are hiding under the guise of vegetarianism your desire to lose weight by avoiding animal foods.

16. Experiencing a panic fear of getting fat from every piece eaten or drunk drink, and even low-calorie food.

17. Feel guilty after every meal. And the first thought after eating is how to get rid of the calories.

18. You stop communicating with friends and relatives, you experience an inner inexplicable fear and anxiety. You think that no one needs it, and you are firmly convinced that this is due to the fact that you are fat. Although this is not at all true ...

If you answered “yes” more than two times, immediately contact a specialist: a psychologist or psychiatrist. It is imperative to consult a doctor and find a way out of a difficult situation. After all, if the disease progresses, it will be more and more difficult to get you out of this state. Throw away the false sense of shame: believe me, every person has personal problems and mental illnesses.

If you’re going to ignore this advice, read what excessive weight loss leads to:

1. Violations of the cardiovascular system - fainting, dizziness, constant feeling of cold, slow pulse, low blood pressure.

2. Dry and pale skin, sallow complexion.

3. Hair loss, the appearance of fine hair on the face and back, violation of the structure of the nails.

4. Disorders of the digestive system - stomach cramps, chronic constipation, nausea, abdominal edema.

5. Lack of thyroid hormones and a slowdown in metabolism.

6. Cessation of menstruation, inability to conceive.

7. Osteoporosis and frequent, painful bone fractures.

8. Decrease in brain mass.

9. Decreased libido or loss of sex drive.
10. Depression.

11. Constant restlessness, inability to concentrate.

12. Ideas about suicide.

Paradox, but most often the cause of anorexia is reproaches from relatives and friends, whose opinion is paramount for the patient. Offensive remarks from a guy or husband: "You are fat as a barrel", "Fat hangs down", "You need to eat less", "It would be nice for you to lose weight", "Just don't get fat", "If you get fat, I'll give up", which are often accompanied by checking the press, counting the wrinkles on the abdomen or unpleasant pinching ... All this is an excellent breeding ground for anorexia!

Among the causes of the disease:
- Low self-esteem, a sense of their own inferiority.
- Self-doubt and fear of not being in line with fashionable beauty standards
- Staying in a society (work team, family, circle of friends), where thinness is the standard.
- Stressful events: constant quarrels, family conflicts, death of a loved one, parting with a loved one, betrayal, physical violence and more.
- Defensive reaction, a way to protest against any injustice or violence.
- Hereditary predisposition - having a relative with anorexia nervosa, bulimia or obesity, depression, alcohol or drug addiction.

It's important to know! It is impossible to cure a disease without removing the cause. Try to find it yourself, or better with the help of a psychologist. And remember: you are alone, and mocking your own body for the sake of someone is stupid. Nobody will appreciate your sacrifices anyway. In addition, a man needs a healthy and confident woman who can give birth to a child. And he is unlikely to want to associate his life with anorexic anorexic.

Description of the method

The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) is a screening test technique developed by the Clark Institute of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto in 1979 [.

The scale was originally designed to screen for anorexia nervosa and consisted of 40 questions. In 1982, the developers modified it and created the EAT-26 scale, consisting of 26 questions. The EAT-26 scale showed a high degree of correlation with the original version. Subsequently, the EAT-26 scale has become widely used in the screening of both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

The EAT-26 is currently the most widely used research tool for eating disorders.

Theoretical basis

The scale, like most similar ones, includes symptoms that are considered abnormal in relation to eating behavior. Symptoms are cognitive, behavioral, and emotional, but no subscales are highlighted on the test.

Internal structure

The ЕАТ-26 test consists of 26 questions. Each question has the following answer options: "never", "rarely", "sometimes", "quite often", "usually" or "always". When answering 5 additional questions, the subject chooses one of two answer options - "yes" or "no". Sometimes the test includes 5 more additional questions that have the answer options "yes" and "no".

Procedure for

The test is intended to be completed by the patient / subject himself, the specialist should not be involved in this. Before starting the study, it is recommended to familiarize the subject with the principles of working with the scale.

Interpretation

All test questions, with the exception of the 26th, are scored as follows: "always" - 3; "Usually" - 2; "Quite often" - 1; "Sometimes" - 0; "Rarely" - 0; "Never" - 0. 26th question is evaluated as follows: "always" - 0; "Usually" - 0; "Quite often" - 0; "Sometimes" - 1; "Rarely" - 2; "Never" - 3. The points for all items are added up and the total score is calculated. Additional information can be provided by a meaningful analysis of the answers to each question.

Clinical relevance

The EAT-26 test is a screening test, i.e. it is impossible to make a diagnosis on its basis, even a preliminary one, but a high score on it means a high probability of having a serious eating disorder - presumably, anorexia or bulimia (the test was created to identify these particular disorders). Meanwhile, a number of points are specific to some other eating disorders - for example, restrictive, compulsive, etc. Thus, the test identifies a “high-risk group” in need of mental health professional advice, although it does not cover all eating disorders considered to date.

Anorexia and bulimia are the most common eating disorders today. Patients with anorexia have a pathological desire to lose weight, which is why they refuse to eat. The death rate from anorexia is extremely high.

With bulimia, the patient experiences an irresistible craving for food, which results in bouts of overeating, followed by induction of vomiting or taking a laxative.

Despite the apparent differences, both of these eating disorders are of a similar psychological nature. Therefore, to diagnose them, the same questionnaire is used - the Eating Attitudes Test, EAT.

This test for bulimia and anorexia was developed in Canada (Toronto) at the Clark Institute of Psychiatry in 1979.

The original EAT was used to screen populations at risk for anorexia nervosa. It contained 40 test questions. Further deepening of knowledge in the field of the psychology of eating disorders made it possible to shorten the test and make it more reliable. The version improved in 1982 contains 26 questions and is appropriately named EAT-26, which is still in use today.

The EAT-26 test allows you to diagnose both bulimia and bulimia with high accuracy. It is easy to use and self-diagnostic.

The eating attitude test consists of a main part with 26 questions and an additional part with 5 questions. The main questions contain 6 possible answers, divided by the frequency of the described behavior or situation. The supplementary questions only provide “yes” and “no” answers. The answer form is completely filled out by the respondent, the participation of a specialist is not required. Before starting the test, the test subject should be familiar with the testing methodology.

The EAT-26 test provides the following criteria for detecting eating disorders:

• low body mass index compared to the average age norm,
• weight loss or characteristic patterns of behavior in the last 6 months (based on the results of answers to an additional group of questions),
• results of answers to the main group of tests of the questionnaire.

Also, in the diagnosis, information is used, received from relatives and friends of the examined person or from competent medical workers.

EAT-26 is used for active initial diagnosis of eating disorders. Its effectiveness is high when working with target risk groups - students of schools, colleges, universities and other risk groups (for example, professional athletes). Early diagnosis of eating disorders allows treatment to begin early, preventing further serious complications or even death.

The reliability of the EAT-26 test results has been confirmed by a number of studies. However, a diagnosis of anorexia or bulimia cannot be made based on test results alone. It allows you to identify psychological characteristics and behavioral patterns characteristic of individuals with eating disorders.

A large number of points in the test results (above 20) indicates the presence of concern about the level of their weight. This does not mean that treatment is urgently needed or that there is a threat to life. However, consultation with a specialist (psychologist or psychiatrist) is advisable for people with high test scores. The doctor will conduct an additional examination to establish an accurate diagnosis, determine the presence of a real threat to health and, if necessary, advise methods of correction.