Validity and reliability of the Chinese language version of the eating disorder examination (CEDE) in mainland China: Implications for the identity and nosology of the eating disorders.

PURPOSE: To investigate the crosscultural validity and reliability of the Chinese Language version of the Eating Disorder Examination (CEDE) in Wuhan, China, and to examine the psychopathological profile of eating disorder patients in central Mainland China.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHOD: We administered the CEDE to 41 eating disorder patients (anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa) with 43 non-eating disorder controls. Specialists in eating disorders made the clinical diagnosis according to DSM-IV criteria. CEDE data between the two groups were compared.

RESULTS

The CEDE demonstrates good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and inter-examiner reliability. All CL-EDE subscales discriminated between patients with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa from non-eating disordered controls. The CEDE has satisfactory sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values.

DISCUSSION: The CEDE is a useful instrument for the study of the growing clinical problem of the eating disorders in Mainland China. The finding that the characteristic fat phobia is prominent in this population of eating disordered patients and its implication on the identity and classification of the eating disorders are discussed.