The eating disorders examination in adolescent males with anorexia nervosa: How does it compare to adolescent females?

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to explore the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) for adolescent males with eating disorders (EDs) compared with adolescent females with EDs. METHOD: Data were collected from 48 males and matched on percent median body weight (MBW) and age to 48 females at two sites. RESULTS: Adolescent males with anorexia nervosa-type presentation scored significantly lower than matched females on Shape Concern, Weight Concern, and Global score. They also scored lower on a number of individual items. DISCUSSION: The EDE has clinical utility with adolescent males with anorexic-type presentation although males' scoring ranges are consistently lower than those from adolescent females with similar clinical presentations. Males scored significantly lower on a number of items representing core symptoms such as desire to lose weight. More research is needed to gain a better understanding of the experience of adolescent males with EDs, particularly in relation to the nature of shape concern.