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Diagnostic Issues of Binge Eating in Eating Disorders
Author(s) -
Birgegård Andreas,
Clinton David,
Norring Claes
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
european eating disorders review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.511
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1099-0968
pISSN - 1072-4133
DOI - 10.1002/erv.2227
Subject(s) - binge eating , eating disorders , psychology , binge eating disorder , clinical psychology , concurrent validity , psychiatry , naturalistic observation , bulimia nervosa , psychometrics , social psychology , internal consistency
Background Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) criteria for eating disorders (EDs) are problematic and due to be revised. One area of debate concerns binge eating. Aims We investigated the impact of four aspects of binge eating (binge size, loss of control, frequency of objective and subjective binge eating) assessed by questionnaire and interview in adult ED patients on concurrent and follow‐up symptoms. Method Data came from two independent naturalistic Swedish ED databases ( N = 2354, with 12‐month follow‐up; and N = 597, with 36‐month follow‐up). Results We found fair concurrent validity of criteria assessed using questionnaire, but poor concurrent validity for interview assessment, and no prognostic validity regardless of assessment method. Conclusions The findings give support to some planned DSM‐5 revisions, but challenge the assumption of binge eating as a useful diagnostic criterion, as well as having implications for measurement. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.