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

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 impulsivity variables 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.