Screening High School Students for Eating Disorders
Author Information
Author(s): Austin S. Bryn, Ziyadeh Najat J., Forman Sara, Prokop Lisa A., Keliher Anne, Jacobs Douglas
Primary Institution: Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Hypothesis
Can a nationwide screening initiative effectively identify high school students at risk for eating disorders?
Conclusion
The screening initiative successfully identified many at-risk students who had not received treatment for eating disorders.
Supporting Evidence
- Almost 15% of girls and 4% of boys scored at or above the threshold for a possible eating disorder.
- 25% of girls and 11% of boys reported disordered eating symptoms severe enough to warrant clinical evaluation.
- Most symptomatic students had never received treatment for their eating disorder symptoms.
Takeaway
This study shows that many high school students might have eating disorders, but most of them have never received help.
Methodology
Students completed a self-report screening questionnaire including the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and other related items.
Potential Biases
Self-report data may be subject to bias due to cognitive and situational factors.
Limitations
The sample may not be representative of all high school students, and the screening tool may incorrectly identify some students as having eating disorders.
Participant Demographics
The sample included 58% girls and 42% boys, with a mean age of 15.9 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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