Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI)

Abstract

The Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI) is a widely recognized and frequently utilized self-report instrument designed to assess behavioral and psychological traits associated with eating disorders, specifically Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Developed initially by Garner, Olmsted, and Polivy in 1983, the EDI-1 consists of 64 items categorized into eight primary subscales. It goes beyond simple behavioral assessment to measure core cognitive and affective features of eating disorder psychopathology, such as perfectionism, body dissatisfaction, and interoceptive awareness deficits.

Keywords

Eating Disorders Inventory, EDI, Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Body Dissatisfaction, Drive for Thinness, Psychological Assessment, Eating Pathology, Self-Report.

Authors

David M. Garner, Marion P. Olmsted, Janet Polivy

Purpose

The primary purpose of the EDI is to provide a standardized, multidimensional assessment of psychological characteristics relevant to the diagnosis, severity, and treatment monitoring of eating disorders. It was designed specifically to capture psychological features that often predate or accompany the symptomatic behaviors of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.

The instrument is valuable both in clinical settings for screening and differential diagnosis, and in research settings for studying the underlying structure of eating disorder psychopathology. By focusing on non-symptomatic variables—such as interpersonal relationships and emotional regulation—the EDI provides a comprehensive profile of the individual’s internal experience related to their disordered eating.

Construct

The EDI measures a complex construct of eating disorder psychopathology, extending beyond simple caloric restriction or purging behaviors. It operationalizes eight distinct cognitive and affective dimensions that are hypothesized to maintain or contribute to the development of an eating disorder. These dimensions include internal states related to self-esteem, maturity, interpersonal relationships, and body image distortion.

The scale’s multidimensional approach allows clinicians and researchers to identify specific psychological vulnerabilities, such as high levels of Perfectionism or deficits in Interoceptive Awareness, which are crucial targets for therapeutic intervention.

Validity

The EDI demonstrates robust construct validity, consistently differentiating between clinical populations diagnosed with eating disorders and non-clinical control groups. Its concurrent validity is high, showing significant correlations with other established measures of eating pathology, such as the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT).

Furthermore, numerous studies have supported the discriminant validity of the subscales, confirming that they measure distinct aspects of psychopathology. Predictive validity has also been established, as high scores on certain EDI subscales (e.g., Drive for Thinness) often predict future eating disorder onset or relapse, making it a valuable prognostic tool.

Reliability

The Psychometric Properties of the EDI generally indicate high reliability across diverse samples and language translations. Internal consistency, measured by Cronbach’s alpha, typically ranges between 0.80 and 0.90 for the total score, and remains strong (often above 0.70) for most individual subscales. This suggests that the items within each subscale reliably measure the same underlying construct.

Test-retest reliability is also strong, particularly over short intervals, confirming that the measure provides stable results over time, which is essential for tracking long-term clinical changes or research outcomes.

Factor Analysis

The original EDI (EDI-1) was developed based on a factor analysis that yielded eight primary factors, or subscales, consisting of 64 items. These factors are grouped into two categories: those related directly to body shape and weight (e.g., Drive for Thinness) and those related to general psychological functioning (e.g., Ineffectiveness).

The eight factors identified in the source content, reflecting the core structure of the EDI-1, are:

• Drive for Thinness: Items (1, 7, 11, 16, 25, 32, 49 and 64)
• Bulimia: Items (4, 5, 28, 38, 46, 53 and 61)
• Body Dissatisfaction: Items (2, 9, 12, 19, 31, 45, 55, 59 and 62)
• Ineffectiveness: Items (10, 18, 20, 24, 27, 37, 41, 42, 52 and 56)
• Perfectionism: Items (13, 29, 36, 43, 52 and 63)
• Interpersonal Distrust: Items (15, 17, 23, 30, 34, 54 and 57)
• Interoceptive Awareness: Items (8, 21, 26, 33, 40, 51 and 60)
• Maturity Fears: Items (3, 6, 14, 22, 39, 48 and 58)

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological screening tool and diagnostic aid.

Format: 64-item questionnaire (EDI-1) utilizing a 6-point Likert-type frequency scale for responses: 1=Always, 2=Usually, 3=Often, 4=Sometimes, 5=Rarely, 6=Never.

Language Available: English (Original), Portuguese, and numerous other translations.

Population Group: Clinical and non-clinical populations, particularly those suspected of or diagnosed with eating disorders.

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (typically 12 years and older).

Population Details: Primarily developed and validated on female samples, though subsequent research has supported its use in male populations, especially with the later versions (EDI-2 and EDI-3).

Test Methodology: Respondents complete the inventory by selecting the frequency that best describes their feelings or behaviors over a specified period. Scoring involves summing items within each of the eight subscales, with certain items being reverse-scored.

Keywords

Psychological Assessment, Self-Report, Body Image, Interoceptive Awareness, Clinical Psychology, Psychopathology, EDI-1, Eating Disorder Treatment.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A

Correspondence Address: N/A

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The original Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI) was first published in 1983. Subsequent revisions, including EDI-2 (1990) and EDI-3 (2004), have expanded the item pool and subscales. The instrument is proprietary, and formal permissions for its use, particularly in clinical or large-scale research, must be obtained through the copyright holder, typically Psychological Assessment Resources (PAR). Fees generally apply for professional manuals and scoring materials.

Reference’s

• Garner DM, Olmsted MP, Polivy J. 1983. Development and validation of a multidimensional Eating Disorder Inventory for anorexia nervosa and bulimia. International Journal of Eating Disorder 2: 15-34.
• Garner DM. 1990. Eating Disorder Inventory – 2: Professional Manual. WPS: Los Angeles.
• Garner (1991). Eating Disorder Inventory – 2: Professional manual. Odessa, Fl: Psychological Assessment Resources.
• Paulo P. P. Machado, Sonia GoncËalves, Carla Martins and Isabel C. Soares. (2001). The Portuguese Version of the Eating Disorders Inventory: Evaluation of its Psychometric Properties. European Eating Disorders Review, 9(1), 43-52.
• This instrument can be found on pages 47-48 of The Portuguese Version of the Eating Disorders Inventory: Evaluation of its Psychometric Properties, available online at: http://repositorium.sdum.uminho.pt/handle/1822/3134

Items of the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. I eat sweets and carbohydrates without feeling nervous
2. I think that my stomach is too big
3. I wish that I could return to the security of childhood
4. I eat when I am upset
5. I stuff myself with food
6. I wish that I could be younger
7. I think about dieting
8. I get frightened when my feelings are too strong
9. I think that my things are too large
10. I feel ineffective as a person
11. I feel extremely guilty after overeating
12. I think that my stomach is just the right size
13. Only outstanding performance is good enough in my family
14. The happiest time in life is when you are a child
15. I am open about my feelings
16. I am terrified of gaining weight
17. I trust others
18. I feel alone in the world
19. I feel satisfied with the shape of my body
20. I feel generally in control of things in my life
21. I get confused about what emotion I am feeling
22. I would rather be an adult than a child
23. I can communicate with others easily
24. I wish I were someone else
25. I exaggerate the importance of weight
26. I can clearly identify what emotion I am feeling
27. I feel inadequate
28. I have gone on eating binges where I have felt that I could not stop
29. As a child, I tried very hard to avoid disappointing my parents and teachers
30. I have close relationships
31. I like the shape of my buttocks
32. I am preoccupied with the desire to be thinner
33. I don’t know what’s going on inside me
34. I have trouble expressing my emotions to others
35. The demands of adulthood are too great
36. I hate being less than best at things
37. I feel secure about myself
38. I think about bingeing
39. I feel happy that I am not a child anymore
40. I get confused as to whether or not I am hungry
41. I have a low opinion of myself
42. I feel that I can achieve my standards
43. My parents have expected excellence of me
44. I worry that my feelings will get out of control
45. I think my hips are too big
46. I eat moderately in front of others and stuff myself when they are gone
47. I feel bloated after eating a small meal
48. I feel that people are happiest when they are children
49. If I gain a pound, I worry that I will keep gaining
50. I feel that I am a worthwhile person
51. When I am upset, I don’t know if I am sad, frightened, or angry
52. I feel that I must do things perfectly or not do them at all
53. I have the thought of trying to vomit in order to lose weight
54. I need to keep people at a certain distance
55. I think that my thighs are just the right size
56. I feel empty inside (emotionally)
57. I can talk about personal thoughts or feelings
58. The best years of your life are when you become an adult
59. I think my buttocks are too large
60. I have feelings I can’t quite identify
61. I eat or drink in secrecy
62. I think that my hips are just the right size
63. I have extremely high goals
64. When I am upset, I worry that I will start eating