Psychometric properties of the revised Eating Disorder Core Beliefs Questionnaire (ED-CBQ-R) in an eating disorder treatment-seeking sample

The present study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the psychometric properties and clinical utility of the revised Eating Disorder Core Beliefs Questionnaire (ED-CBQ-R) in a clinical sample of individuals seeking treatment for an eating disorder (ED), as well as to examine potential differences in ED core beliefs across distinct diagnostic groups. Treatment-seeking adults (N =150) were recruited from specialist ED private practices throughout Australia and New Zealand, as a part of the Clinical Quality Registry for Eating Disorder Treatment (the "TrEAT Registry", Australian Register of Clinical Registries: #ACSQHC-ARCR-279). Further, undergraduate data (N = 294) was collected at T1 and T2 (after a four-week interval) to examine test-retest reliability of the ED-CBQ-R. In the treatment-seeking sample, the total ED-CBQ-R, Self-loathing, Unassertive, Demanding and Abandoned subscales displayed good internal consistency, discriminative ability, and the four-factor structure showed acceptable to good fit. Treatment-seeking participants displayed significantly higher scores on all ED-CBQ-R subscales than those in the undergraduate sample. There were no significant differences on the ED-CBQ-R between diagnostic groups, except for the AN-R group displaying higher self-loathing than those with BED. Finally, the ED-CBQ-R demonstrated good test-retest reliability in the undergraduate sample. The outcomes of the present study support the validity, reliability, and clinical utility of the ED-CBQ-R in those seeking treatment for an ED and supports researchers and clinicians in utilising the ED-CBQ-R to identify and monitor critical cognitive targets for treatment and guide clinical decision making.