Table 3 Principal component analysis and construct validation of the FABIANA-checklist (18 items)

1 Primary care perceived as supportive and competent (4.20)

I had a doctor² I trusted. (13)

.84

.61

.75

PACIC-5A

.59***

I had a doctor² with a great competence in the field of eating disorders. (14)

.78

.59

.75

PACIC-5A

.42***

I had a doctor² who cooperated well with my other practitioners. (15)

.61

.31

.50

.77

PACIC-5A

.29*

After my anorexia was diagnosed, I had regular appointments with a doctor². (12)

.51

.38

.41

.78

PACIC-5A

.42***

I had a doctor² who arranged that I received appropriate treatment. (8)

.49

.35

.26

.51

.76

PACIC-5A

.24*

I had a doctor² who recognized my anorexia at an early stage of the illness. (9)

.46

.27

.58

.54

.76

PACIC-5A

.32**

I had a doctor² who dealt badly with my difficulties concerning food, body-shape or weight (e.g. did not take my complaints seriously or trivialized them).¹ (11)

.45

 − .47

.35

.79

PACIC-5A

.35**

I had a doctor² who told me unambiguously that I had anorexia. (10)

.43

.35

.33

.48

.77

PACIC-5A

.34**

2 Emotional and practical support from the social environment/ relatives (1.80)

My social environment encouraged me to take up treatment. (6)

.82

.60

.45

F-SozU

.21*

My social environment often expressed concern about my anorexia. (4)

.25

.72

.43

.64

F-SozU

.43***

At least one person from my social environment supported me practically in treatment initiation (e.g. arranged or accompanied me to medical appointments). (5)

.71

.46

.64

F-SozU

.14

3 Need and Searching for Orientation and Help (1.60)

It was difficult for me and/ or my relatives or persons I relate to closely to find out whom I could consult best to get help.¹ (16)

.75

.24

 − .16

PACIC-5A

.14

It helped me to look at or read articles regarding the successful treatment of anorexia or the recovery of other people with anorexia (e.g. in books, reports, social media). (3)

.36

− .57

 − .16

BIPQ: Personal control³

 − .26*

BIPQ: Treatment control⁴

.23*

BIPQ: Comprehensibility⁵

.09

4 Social environment recognizing AN and need for help (1.39)

People from my social environment have never addressed my anorexia, or have done so too late.¹ (1)

.76

.34

.20

F-SozU

.15

There was at least one person in my social environment who understood at an early stage of the illness that I needed professional help. (2)

.43

.40

.32

.22

.40

F-SozU

.22*

I believed that undergoing psychotherapy was a sign of weakness.¹ (17)

.36

.61

.28

.29

.22

.38

BIPQ: Personal control³

.14

BIPQ: Treatment control⁴

.16

BIPQ: Comprehensibility⁵

.20*

5 Informed relatives (1.22)

My relatives or persons I relate to closely informed themselves on the subject of anorexia (e.g. read books, researched on the internet, visited a counselling center or a doctor²). (7)

.82

F-SozU

.05

6 Absence of negative media influence (1.05)

By comparing with girls or women in the media (e.g. television, internet, social media) I considered a certain diet (e.g. a very restricted diet), a very slim figure or a very low weight to be normal so that I didn’t feel the need for treatment.¹ (18)

.85

BIPQ: Comprehensibility⁵

.20*

BIPQ: Causal representation “Media” ⁶ ( −)

 − .31**

Variance explained (%)

23.33

9.98

8.86

7.71

6.76

5.82

Cronbach’s alpha

.79

.67

 − .38

.42