Eating Attitudes Test – EAT-40
Measures symptoms and concerns characteristic of eating disorders, particularly anorexia nervosa.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Eating Attitudes Test – EAT-40 was developed by David M. Garner & Paul E. Garfinkel (1979). It is designed to measure Eating disorder symptomatology. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 39 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Always, 2 = Very Often, 3 = Often, 4 = Sometimes, 5 = Rarely, 6 = Never.
The scale includes 6 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 117. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low risk / Non-clinical: 0 – 29
- High risk / Clinical range: 30 – 117
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.94.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.