Validation of the Finnish Version of the SCOFF Questionnaire Among Young Adults Aged 20 to 35 Years

Overview

Journal BMC Psychiatry

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2009 Feb 10

PMID 19200401

Citations 10

Authors

Sini Lahteenmaki

Terhi Aalto-Setala

Jaana T Suokas

Suoma E Saarni

Jonna Perala

Samuli I Saarni

Hillevi Aro

Jouko Lonnqvist

Jaana M Suvisaari

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: We tested the validity of the SCOFF, a five-question screening instrument for eating disorders, in a general population sample.

Methods: A random sample of 1863 Finnish young adults was approached with a questionnaire that contained several screens for mental health interview, including the SCOFF. The questionnaire was returned by 1316 persons. All screen positives and a random sample of screen negatives were invited to SCID interview. Altogether 541 subjects participated in the SCID interview and had filled in the SCOFF questionnaire. We investigated the validity of the SCOFF in detecting current eating disorders by calculating sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) for different cut-off scores. We also performed a ROC analysis based on these 541 persons, of whom nine had current eating disorder.

Results: The threshold of two positive answers presented the best ability to detect eating disorders, with a sensitivity of 77.8%, a specificity of 87.6%, a PPV of 9.7%, and a NPV of 99.6%. None of the subjects with current eating disorder scored zero points in the SCOFF.

Conclusion: Due to its low PPV, there are limitations in using the SCOFF as a screening instrument in unselected population samples. However, it might be used for ruling out the possibility of eating disorders.

Citing Articles

Validation of the SCOFF as a Simple Screening Tool for Eating Disorders in an Inpatient Sample Before and During COVID-19.

Beer C, Luken L, Eggendorf J, Holtmann M, Legenbauer T Int J Eat Disord. 2024; 58(1):243-247.

PMID: 39503151 PMC: 11784830. DOI: 10.1002/eat.24318.

The use and misuse of the SCOFF screening measure over two decades: a systematic literature review.

Coop A, Clark A, Morgan J, Reid F, Lacey J Eat Weight Disord. 2024; 29(1):29.

PMID: 38652332 PMC: 11039549. DOI: 10.1007/s40519-024-01656-6.

Adverse childhood experiences increase the risk for eating disorders among adolescents.

Kovacs-Toth B, Olah B, Kuritarne Szabo I, Tury F Front Psychol. 2022; 13:1063693.

PMID: 36578685 PMC: 9791097. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1063693.

Eating disorder measures in a sample of military veterans: A focus on gender, age, and race/ethnicity.

Mitchell K, Masheb R, Smith B, Kehle-Forbes S, Hardin S, Vogt D Psychol Assess. 2021; 33(12):1226-1238.

PMID: 34292003 PMC: 8720058. DOI: 10.1037/pas0001050.

The relationship between the risk of eating disorder and meal patterns in University students.

Kabakus Aykut M, Bilici S Eat Weight Disord. 2021; 27(2):579-587.

PMID: 33881762 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-021-01179-4.

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