32 Eating Disorder Survey Questions for Early Detection & Care

Diagnostic Surveys

Going Deeper for Clarity

If screening is the “knock at the door,” formal eating disorder diagnostic questionnaires are the friendly, thorough interview inside. These comprehensive tools, such as the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), align closely with criteria from the DSM-5. They help clinicians pinpoint whether someone has anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, or another related challenge.

Why & When to Use

Clinical teams and therapists break out these diagnostic surveys:

• During pre-treatment intake assessments.
• To document symptoms for insurance or administrative needs.
• When working in a multidisciplinary team (doctors, dietitians, therapists).
• To clarify the subtype and severity of an eating disorder.

Having a clear label is not about “putting people in boxes”—it’s about knowing which support and resources fit best.

5 Sample Diagnostic Questions

1. Over the past 28 days, how many times have you engaged in binge eating?

2. How concerned have you been about your shape?

3. Have you used laxatives to influence your weight or shape?

4. Rate the importance of weight on your self-worth.

5. How often have you eaten in secret due to embarrassment?

Detailed questions like these create a nuanced map of struggles, habits, and thoughts. Clinicians can use the answers to track where someone is now and to chart the best path forward—together.

Teamwork in Assessment

Formal eating disorder diagnostic questionnaires aren’t just paperwork—they’re a bridge between client and care team. They spark honest conversations, remove guesswork, and bring the whole support system onto the same page.

The Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) demonstrates good concurrent validity and acceptable criterion validity, making it suitable for use in prospective epidemiological studies. (sciencedirect.com)

Symptom Severity Tracking Surveys

Keeping Tabs Week-to-Week

A single diagnosis isn’t a one-and-done event—weekly eating disorder progress surveys help track ups and downs over time. Tools like the ED-15 offer quick check-ins, perfect for digital delivery through therapy apps or regular emails, so progress can be seen and celebrated.

Why & When to Use

Clinicians and clients use symptom tracking to:

• Assess changes during weekly or bi-weekly therapy.
• Fine-tune treatment—dialing intensity up or down as needed.
• Identify triggers and victories between appointments.

Ongoing monitoring encourages honest reporting. Changes don’t always happen in a straight line, but every step counts.

5 Sample Tracking Questions

1. Since our last session, how frequently did you restrict meals?

2. Rate today’s urge to binge (0-10).

3. How distressed were you about your body after eating?

4. How many compensatory behaviors (vomiting, exercise) occurred this week?

5. Overall mood in the past 7 days (1 = very low, 5 = very high).

With digital or app-based versions, weekly eating disorder progress surveys can alert care teams if someone’s risk is rising—in real time, not just when the next session rolls around.

Celebrating Small Wins

Not every week will bring dramatic changes. Weekly eating disorder progress surveys remind clients to celebrate even mini-victories (like eating a safe meal, or ditching a negative self-thought). Anchoring the journey in numbers and feelings makes growth easier to spot, even when it feels slow.

Treatment Satisfaction Surveys

Listening to the Client’s Voice

Not all magic happens in session—eating disorder treatment satisfaction questionnaires let clients tell their story about what’s working (and what isn’t). These surveys invite honest feedback about therapy methods, nutrition support, and program environment.

Why & When to Use

Satisfaction surveys are great at:

• Checking in during the middle of a treatment program.
• Gathering feedback at discharge to improve future care.
• Helping teams move from “one size fits all” to “just right” therapy.

Feedback is usually anonymous, encouraging candid responses even if the experience wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns.

5 Sample Satisfaction Questions

1. How supported do you feel by your treatment team?

2. Are therapy goals clear and collaborative?

3. Rate the usefulness of nutritional counseling.

4. How safe do you feel in group sessions?

5. Would you recommend this program to others with similar issues?

When clients see their voices matter, trust and engagement rise. Eating disorder treatment satisfaction questionnaires aren’t about gold stars or blame—they’re about making every step a little safer and kinder.

Building Trust

These surveys help teams spot gaps—maybe group sessions feel intimidating or meal support could be improved. Honest feedback, read with curiosity instead of criticism, can transform a program from “just okay” to genuinely life-changing.

Perceived clinician stigma in eating disorder treatment leads to reduced patient engagement, compromised therapeutic alliances, and increased barriers to care. (jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com)

Relapse Prevention & Early Warning Surveys

Staying Safe After Discharge

Recovery doesn’t end on the last day of therapy. That’s where the trusty post-recovery eating disorder relapse checklist comes in—offering gentle, regular check-ins after someone leaves intensive care. Self-administered surveys help spot subtle signs of trouble early, long before a full relapse.

Why & When to Use

Post-recovery checklists help people:

• Monitor monthly for up to a year after treatment ends.
• Catch warning signs like food obsession or increased stress.
• Stay connected with the idea that “it’s okay to ask for help again.”

The goal isn’t to “catch someone out”—it’s to support them as they build confidence in their recovery.

5 Sample Relapse-Prevention Questions

1. Have you noticed renewed preoccupation with calorie counting?

2. How often are you skipping meals?

3. Current stress level compared to last month (1-10).

4. List any recent body-image triggers.

5. Which coping strategy have you used most this week?

Early intervention means a slip doesn’t have to become a slide. Having a post-recovery eating disorder relapse checklist lets clients take “emotional temperature checks” and reach out before things feel overwhelming.

Empowering the Journey

Surveys aren’t about “watching for failure”—they’re about boosting skills and self-awareness. Sharing checklists with a support person or therapist can make recovery feel less lonely (and a lot more doable).

Body Image & Self-Esteem Surveys

More Than Food: The Body-Mind Connection

You can’t treat what you don’t understand—body image survey questions for eating disorders dig into how people see themselves, from the mirror to social media. These assessments explore emotions, self-talk, and outside influences like Instagram or family comments that quietly shape self-esteem.

Why & When to Use

Use these surveys in:

• Prevention programs targeting teens or adults at risk.
• School wellness classes for teaching self-acceptance.
• Therapy sessions to uncover hidden beliefs or pressure points.

Knowledge is power; knowing where body image struggles live can guide interventions before they spiral into a full eating disorder.

5 Sample Body-Image Questions

1. I feel pressure from Instagram to look a certain way (strongly disagree – strongly agree).

2. I avoid mirrors because of body concerns.

3. My mood depends on how thin I feel.

4. Friends/family comment on my weight in ways that affect me.

5. I compare my body to others daily.

Body image isn’t just about vanity—it shapes moods, choices, and, yes, meals. Body image survey questions for eating disorders highlight beliefs worth challenging, gently, in therapy.

Looking Beyond the Surface

Noticing that self-esteem dips when a certain influencer posts, or that a bad day is tied to “feeling fat,” helps people rewrite the story in their own heads. Gentle exploration, not blame, is the name of the game.

Caregiver & Support Network Surveys

Helping the Helpers

Recovery isn’t a solo journey—caregiver survey for eating disorder support helps families, partners, and friends check in on their own needs and stress. Eating disorders affect everyone in the nest, not just the person diagnosed.

Why & When to Use

These surveys are useful:

• Before and during family-based therapy sessions.
• When enrolling caregivers in support groups.
• For planning discharge after inpatient or day treatment.

Recognizing the unique worries (and wisdom!) caregivers bring is a big part of lasting recovery.

5 Sample Caregiver Questions

1. How confident are you in recognizing your loved one’s warning signs?

2. Rate your own stress related to meal times.

3. Do you feel you have adequate professional support?

4. Which coping skills training would benefit you most?

5. How comfortable are you discussing weight or food at home?

Keeping caregivers supported and educated keeps everyone safer—for the long haul. Caregiver survey for eating disorder support spotlights gaps in skill, confidence, or access so these important folks can do their best, too.

All Together Now

When families and friends feel heard, not blamed, they become recovery’s secret weapon. Surveys like these spark empathy and emphasize that it takes a team to beat an eating disorder.

Best Practices / Dos and Don’ts for Eating Disorder Survey Design

Creating Safe, Effective Questionnaires

The art of best practices for eating disorder questionnaires is all about respect, empathy, and science. A well-designed survey can illuminate darkness—while a careless one can do harm.

The Dos

• Use trauma-sensitive language to keep questions gentle and respectful.
• Validate respondents’ feelings and experiences within the questions and instructions.
• Ensure anonymity by designing secure forms with no identifying data required.
• Provide crisis resources and help lines on every survey form.
• Pilot test surveys with diverse groups for clarity and safety before use.

The Don’ts

• Avoid weight-shaming language or trigger imagery, as these can backfire.
• Skip leading questions that assume guilt or judgment.
• Don’t use complex medical jargon; keep questions simple and relatable.
• Never ignore cultural differences—what’s triggering for one group might be irrelevant for another.
• Don’t forget explicit, informed consent and privacy protections (think HIPAA/GDPR style!).

Immediate referral pathways are vital: if a survey flags high-risk behaviors (like suicidal thoughts or medical instability), prompt, caring connection to a professional is a must.

Ethical, Inclusive Care

Best practices for eating disorder questionnaires put safety, diversity, and dignity above all else. Ask for consent, respect privacy, and always offer help. A thoughtfully-crafted survey doesn’t just gather information—it gives hope, reassurance, and a first step toward healing.

Recovery journeys are all unique, but with the right eating disorder survey questions, those first steps feel a little less scary, a little more supported, and a lot more hopeful. Whether you’re screening, diagnosing, tracking, or cheering from the sidelines, a gentle, well-worded questionnaire can change a life.