Yale-Brown-Cornell eating disorder scale in women with anorexia nervosa: What is it measuring?

• Published in: The International journal of eating disorders 2009-04, Vol.42 (3), p.267-274
• Main Authors: Jordan, Jennifer, Joyce, Peter R, Carter, Frances A, McIntosh, Virginia V.W, Luty, Suzanne E, McKenzie, Janice M, Frampton, Christopher M.A, Bulik, Cynthia M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: abnormal behavior; Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Anorexia; Anorexia nervosa; Anorexia Nervosa - diagnosis; Anorexia Nervosa - pathology; Anorexia Nervosa - psychology; Anorexia Nervosa - therapy; behavior disorders; Biological and medical sciences; Cognitive Therapy; diet-related diseases; Eating behavior disorders; Eating disorders; Female; gaining weight; Humans; Impulsive Behavior - diagnosis; Impulsive Behavior - pathology; Impulsive Behavior - psychology; Impulsive Behavior - therapy; impulsivity; Interpersonal Relations; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; mental health; obsessions; obsessive compulsive disorder; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - diagnosis; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - pathology; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - psychology; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - therapy; perfectionism; perfectionsim; personality; Personality Disorders - diagnosis; Personality Disorders - pathology; Personality Disorders - psychology; Personality Disorders - therapy; Personality Inventory - standards; Personality Inventory - statistics & numerical data; Personality traits; preoccupations; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales - standards; psychological stress; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotherapy; Psychotherapy - methods; Reproducibility of Results; rituals; Severity of Illness Index; Studies; the Yale-Brown-Cornell Eating Disorder Scale; Treatment Outcome; Women; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0276-3478; 1098-108X; 1098-108X
• DOI: 10.1002/eat.20605

OBJECTIVE:: The Yale-Brown-Cornell Eating Disorder Scale (YBC-EDS) assesses eating disorder preoccupations, rituals, and symptom severity. This study examines the YBC-EDS in relation to eating disorder psychopathology, obsessionality, and impul-sivityvariables in women with anorexia nervosa (AN) and sensitivity of the YBC-EDS to change after psychotherapy. METHOD:: Participants were 56 women with "spectrum" AN (14.5 < BMI < 19). Variables examined in relation to the YBC-EDS were as follows: eating pathology, obsessionality (obsessive compulsive disorder and personality diagnoses, perfectionism), and impulsivity (borderline personality, impulsive traits, and behaviors). YBC-EDS scores were examined pre- and post-treatment. RESULTS:: Eating Disorder Examination scores most strongly predicted the YBC-EDS. As expected, perfectionism was significantly associated, but so was impulsivity. YBC-EDS scores were significantly different in those with good versus poor global outcome after therapy. Unexpectedly, maximum lifetime BMI was correlated with the YBC-EDS. DISCUSSION:: The YBC-EDS most strongly measured eating disorder severity and reflected change after psychotherapy for AN. © 2008 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2009