Diagnostic concordance of the interview and questionnaire versions of the eating disorder examination

Abstract

Objective: The diagnostic concordance of the interview (EDE) and questionnaire (EDE-Q) versions of the Eating Disorder Examination was examined.

Method: Two-hundred seventeen patients seeking eating disorder treatment completed the EDE and EDE-Q before beginning treatment. Diagnostic algorithms were generated for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) and proposed Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria using data first from the EDE and then from the EDE-Q; thus, each participant received four diagnoses.

Results: The sensitivity of the EDE-Q for individual diagnoses ranged from 27.8% to 84.3% (DSM-IV-TR) and from 36.8% to 80.8% (DSM-5). The specificity of the EDE-Q for individual diagnoses ranged from 71.1% to 98.5% (DSM-IV-TR) and from 77.3% to 98.0% (DSM-5). The overall diagnostic concordance was moderate (κ = .57-.60).

Discussion: The proposed DSM-5 criteria improved the diagnostic concordance of the two instruments and reduced the prevalence of Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS). However, concordance improvement was modest and both instruments still diagnosed most respondents with EDNOS.