Using clinical cutoff scores on the eating disorder examination-questionnaire to evaluate eating disorder symptoms during and after naturalistic intensive treatment

• Published in: Eating disorders Vol. 31; no. 5; pp. 464 - 478
• Main Authors: Velkoff, Elizabeth A., Brown, Tiffany A., Kaye, Walter H., Wierenga, Christina E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Routledge 03-09-2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescents; Adults; Clinical significance; Cutoff scores; Eating disorders; Evaluation research; Intensive treatment; Pathology; Questionnaires; Self report
• ISSN: 1064-0266; 1532-530X
• DOI: 10.1080/10640266.2023.2191488

Clinical cutoff scores for self-report measures provide a means of evaluating clinically significant pathology during and after treatment. A cutoff of 2.8 on the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) has been recommended to screen for eating disorders (ED). We used this cutoff to assess ED symptoms in adolescents (n = 444) and adults (n = 592) through ED treatment and follow-up. Most patients scored above 2.8 at intake (adolescents 67%, M = 3.21; adults 78%, M = 4.20) and below 2.8 at discharge (adolescents 65%, M = 1.87; adults 66%, M = 2.67), with gains often maintained through follow-up (40% of adolescents and 35% of adults at 12-month follow-up). EDE-Q scores were higher in adults than adolescents and in patients with binge/purge disorders. Results suggest a cutoff of 2.8 on the EDE-Q effectively tracks ED symptom improvement through treatment and discharge. This supports the need for the development of culture-specific and empirically developed clinical cutoffs and their widespread use to evaluate program effectiveness.