The eating disorder examination: reliability and validity of the Italian version

Objective: To examine the psychometric characteristics of the Italian language version of the latest edition of the eating disorder examination (EDE). Methods: An Italian version of the EDE (17th edition) was designed and administered to 185 in- and outpatients with eating disorders and 60 age-matched controls. Its internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, short-term (7–23 days) test–retest reliability and criterion validity were evaluated. Results: Internal consistency was high for all four original EDE subscales. Inter-rater reliability was excellent for global EDE scores and original subscales (≥0.93), and for eating disorder behaviours (≥0.89). Test–retest reliability was good for global EDE scores and original subscales (0.57–0.80), objective bulimic episodes and days, vomiting episodes, laxative and diuretic misuse episodes, and excessive exercising (≥0.82), but unsatisfactory for subjective bulimic episodes and days. Patients with eating disorders displayed significantly higher EDE scores than age-matched controls, demonstrating the good criterion validity of the instrument. Conclusions: The Italian version of the EDE 17.0D has adequate psychometric properties and can therefore be recommended for examining Italian patients with eating disorders in clinical and research settings.