Assessment of eating disorders in bariatric surgery candidates: Self-report questionnaire versus interview

Objective: To compare the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE), an investigato r-based interview for the assessment of the specific psychopathology of eat ing disorders, with the EDE-Q, a self-report questionnaire based directly o n it. Method: Ninety-eight morbidly obese gastric bypass surgery candidates were administered both instruments. Results: The four subscale scores (Res traint, Eating Concern, Weight Concern, and Shape Concern) generated by the EDE and EDE-Q were significantly correlated, although the questionnaire sc ores were significantly higher. Eating Concern and Shape Concern exhibited the lowest levels of agreement. Frequency of binges (objective bulimic epis odes) as rated by the EDE and EDE-Q was significantly correlated and was no t significantly different. However, variability in ra tings contributed to only modest agreement with respect to classification of patients as binge e aters. Discussion: Overall, there were lower levels of agreement between th e EDE and EDE-Q than have been previously found in other samples. (C) 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.