Work

Validation of the SCOFF as a Simple Screening Tool for Eating Disorders in an Inpatient Sample Before and During COVID ‐19

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Eating disorders (EDs) represent a significant public health concern, with a high prevalence among adolescent girls. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a marked increase in EDs, underlining the need for a brief screening tool in clinical settings. The present study compared ICD-10-based ED-diagnoses with SCOFF-identified at-risk female patients in a clinical setting and assessed the tool's reliability. METHOD: Routine data (n = 955 participants) from a child and adolescent psychiatric hospital were evaluated regarding the incidence of ED-diagnoses before (n = 312) and during the pandemic (n = 643) and compared with SCOFF results. The SCOFF's sensitivity and specificity were examined. RESULTS: ED-diagnoses significantly increased, almost doubling from before to during the pandemic. The number of at-risk patients identified by the SCOFF likewise differed between the two time points. The SCOFF showed high sensitivity at cut-offs of 2 (pre-pandemic) and 3 (peri-pandemic) but low specificity. Internal consistency was poor. DISCUSSION: The findings align with previous research indicating an elevated rate of admission to clinical care for ED-diagnoses during the pandemic, a trend also reflected in the SCOFF results. However, the SCOFF's low specificity and poor internal consistency raise concerns about its applicability among adolescent psychiatric inpatients.

Source: International Journal of Eating Disorders

DOI: 10.1002/eat.24318

Authors: Clara Sophie Beer, Luisa Marie Lüken, Jessica Eggendorf, Martin Holtmann, Tanja Legenbauer

Institutions: LWL-Universitätsklinik Hamm, Ruhr University Bochum, University of Münster

Language: English

Topic: Eating Disorders and Behaviors

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,940