Assessment of cognitive variables relevant to cognitive behavioral perspectives on anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

Several cognitive behavioral writers have described cognitions regarding food, eating, and body weight as central to the psychopathology of anorexia and bulimia. However, only preliminary efforts have been undertaken to develop valid and reliable assessment methodologies for these cognitions. This paper reviews the current status of self-report questionnaires, thought-sampling procedures, and methods from cognitive psychology as applied to the assessment of eating disorder cognitions.