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Table 3 Sensitivity and specificity of BDDE-SR items in predicting ED-Only cases (n = 61)

From: The presence, predictive utility, and clinical significance of body dysmorphic symptoms in women with eating disorders

BDDE-SR item

Sens. (%)

Spec. (%)

1. Belief that imagined defect is common

37.7

72.7

2. Checking the imagined defect

65.6

58.3

3. Dissatisfaction with the imagined defect

82.0

53.5

4. Dissatisfaction with overall appearance †

63.9

71.9

5. Reassurance-seeking behavior

13.1

94.4

6. Preoccupation and distress associated with the imagined defect †

62.3

75.7

7. Social anxiety with strangers due to the imagined defect

45.9

76.2

8. Social anxiety with familiar people due to the imagined defect

54.1

74.3

9a. Belief that others notice the imagined defect

41.0

84.0

9b. Distress when others are believed to notice the imagined defect

50.0

81.7

10a. Frequency of comments made by others

3.3

95.2

10b. Distress caused by others’ comments

26.2

88.3

11a. Belief that treated differently because of defect

8.2

96.5

11b. Distress caused by being treated differently by others

14.8

96.1

12. Undue importance placed on appearance in self-evaluation

42.4

80.9

13. Negative evaluation of self based on imagined defect

42.6

87.8

14. Belief of being negatively evaluated by others due to the imagined defect

36.1

90.4

15. Rating of self-attractiveness

32.8

84.8

16a. Fluctuation in thinking/feeling *

34.4

74.0

16b. Ever believed not defected *

50.0

76.8

17. Avoidance of being around strangers

14.8

96.1

18. Avoidance of being around familiar people

14.8

98.7

19. Avoidance of physical contact

27.9

92.2

20. Restricting amount of contact during physical contact

39.3

88.3

21. Avoidance of physical activities

21.3

94.8

22. Camouflaging the imagined defect through dressing/grooming

77.0

52.0

23. Camouflaging the imagined defect through posturing/body movements †

68.9

70.3

24. Avoidance of looking at body

32.8

88.3

25. Avoidance of others seeing the body part unveiled

52.5

82.1

26. Comparing imagined defect to others’ body parts †

67.2

71.4

  1. ED = eating disorder, BDDE-SR = body dysmorphic disorder examination, short form, Sens. (sensitivity) = % of people with a probable eating disorder who endorsed the item, Spec. (specificity) = % of people without a probable eating disorder who did not endorse the item, † items with sensitivity and specificity > 60%; *items were yes/no dichotomous questions, where sensitivity was defined as % of participants with a probable eating disorder who answered ‘no’ and specificity was the % of participants without a probable eating disorder who answered ‘yes’.