What this DEAS-inspired questionnaire measures
This quiz does not administer a copyrighted, validated Dysfunctional Eating Attitude Scale used in research clinics, and it cannot diagnose binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or other eating disorders. Only a qualified clinician using interview methods, history, and sometimes medical labs can do that. It measures how often you have noticed eating attitudes specialists discuss when DEAS literature separates restriction shame, binge cycles, compulsive body checking, and whether you seek help or treat food as fuel, grouped four ways: restriction shame when rules and guilt punish eating; binge cycles when loss of control, secrecy, or eat-then-restrict loops repeat; body checking when mirrors, scales, or comparisons steer mood; and support seeking when you reach for clinicians, honesty, or fuel mindset instead of hiding. You answer 22 how-often statements about the past month, with reverse-worded items so one mindful day cannot hide frequent strain across other days. Your responses also feed a second chart on closeness and trust habits, because some people restrict or binge alone when vulnerability feels dangerous. The total becomes an index from 0 to 100 where higher means more frequent reported concern on this unofficial screener, not proof of an eating disorder.
Restriction shame
How often guilt, punishment, or rigid rules shaped meals.
Binge cycles
How often loss of control, secrecy, or rebound eating followed stress or deprivation.
Body checking
How often mirrors, scales, or comparison steered eating or mood.
Support seeking
How often you asked for help, ate with others, or treated food as fuel not proof of worth.
How it works
Answer 22 frequency items
Rate each statement from Never to Very often for the past month. Tap Next after each answer.
Answers sort into four domains
Each answer feeds one of four eating-attitude groups, and every item also feeds a closeness and trust layer.
See your index and charts
You get a 0 to 100 index, a band, and two bar charts you can bring to a clinician.
Take the Dysfunctional Eating Attitude Scale (DEAS)
Answer 22 short statements to see your dysfunctional eating attitude index, four domain bars, and a closeness and trust chart.
What your result means
Your index is the average of all 22 answers, scaled from 0 to 100, with reverse-worded items flipped first. Higher means more frequent reported strain on this unofficial screener. Read restriction and binge bars together before the total, since shame-heavy rules sometimes precede rebound cycles.
| Band | Index range | Typical reading |
|---|---|---|
| Lower reported dysfunctional attitude strain | 0 to 35 | Fewer frequent restriction shame, binge, or body-check loops in the past month. |
| Mixed reported dysfunctional attitude strain | 36 to 65 | Some domains spike while support seeking or fuel mindset looks healthier on other days. |
| Higher reported dysfunctional attitude strain | 66 to 100 | Frequent shame, binge, or checking loops; eating-disorder-informed care may help. |
Tips at a glance
A quick takeaway graphic with topic tips (not your personal quiz scores). Start the quiz for your index, bands, and charts.
What this quiz can and cannot tell you
Can tell you
- Separate restriction shame, binge, checking, and help avoidance in plain language
- Highlight loops that deserve compassion or professional support
- Give you vocabulary for therapist, dietitian, or primary care intake
- Offer a baseline if you retake after one support experiment
Cannot tell you
- Replace a validated Dysfunctional Eating Attitude Scale or research norms
- Diagnose eating disorders or prescribe meal plans without evaluation
- Tell you whether you should lose or gain weight from one score
- Prove you lack willpower or that you must eliminate food groups
DEAS-inspired attitudes: shame, cycles, checking, and support without punishment
The Dysfunctional Eating Attitude Scale researchers use in some studies is a validated tool with published norms. This page borrows familiar DEAS language around restriction shame, binge cycles, body checking, and help seeking so you can describe attitudes in words therapists already know, but it is not that official instrument and your score cannot be compared to journal cutoffs. Treat the result as a map for reflection and intake conversations, not as homework from a research study.
Restriction shame shows up when food becomes proof of discipline or failure instead of nourishment. Skipped meals, moral labels, and make-up fasting often arrive with self-attack that makes the next binge or secret snack more likely. Binge cycles show up when stress, loneliness, or deprivation stack and eating feels like the fastest off switch, especially when wrappers stay hidden. Those two bars often intertwine: harsh daytime rules can fuel nighttime loss of control when body checking says you failed already.
Body checking is the third bar because mirrors, scales, and photo comparison can steer entire meal plans without naming hunger. Checking once out of curiosity differs from checking ten times before lunch to feel safe. When checking drives shame, support seeking is the fourth bar: booking a clinician, eating with a friend, or asking curiosity questions instead of punishment sentences. Cycles that include purging, dangerous fasting, or fear of weight gain that disrupts daily life mean professional help, not retaking quizzes alone.
If restriction shame and body checking run high while binge stays moderate, comparison and rules may need compassion skills first: regular meals, fewer scale checks, and one offline coping list for hard evenings. If binge and shame both run high, be cautious with new diets from social media; eating-disorder-informed therapists and registered dietitians specialize in untangling punishment from fuel. Our brief eating disorder questionnaire (EDE-QS) emphasizes clinical shape and restraint signals for adults reflecting on disorder-level worry; use it for YMYL reflection alongside this attitude screener, not instead of care when safety is at risk.
Retake after four weeks of one measurable kindness practice, such as eating breakfast before caffeine or texting a friend before a secret binge, and compare domain bars, not only the total. Food is supposed to be pleasurable and social; the goal is flexibility and support when attitudes hurt, not a perfect score. Licensed clinicians turn your examples into treatment plans this page cannot deliver.
| Test | Focus |
|---|---|
| Brief eating disorder questionnaire (EDE-QS) | Clinical shape, restraint, and binge-purge worry rather than DEAS-style attitude domains alone |
| Dutch eating behavior questionnaire (DEBQ) | Emotional, external, and restrained eating habits rather than shame and checking emphasis here |
Dysfunctional Eating Attitude Scale (DEAS) FAQ
Is this the official Dysfunctional Eating Attitude Scale?
No. This is an unofficial, DEAS-inspired attitude screener written for self-reflection on our site. It does not use the validated DEAS item set or published norms and cannot be scored like a research clinic form.
What does this quiz measure?
It measures how often you noticed restriction shame, binge cycles, body checking, and support seeking or help avoidance in the past month. You get an index from 0 to 100 plus four domain bars. It reports self-reported frequency, not a clinical diagnosis.
What is the difference between restriction shame and binge cycles?
Restriction shame here means guilt, punishment, or rigid rules around eating. Binge cycles mean loss of control, secrecy, or eat-then-restrict loops. Many people see both when strict rules rebound into larger eating episodes.
Can this quiz diagnose an eating disorder?
No. Only a licensed clinician can diagnose eating disorders after full evaluation. Use this tool to describe attitudes and decide whether to seek eating-disorder-informed care, especially if you purge, fast dangerously, or feel out of control.
What should I do if my score is high?
Avoid new extreme diets, try one kindness-based support skill, and contact a therapist, doctor, or dietitian with eating-disorder training if patterns persist. Call NEDA at 800-931-2237 (US) for support options.
Who reviewed this quiz?
Dr. Elena Vasquez, PhD reviewed the YMYL framing, unofficial DEAS limits, and eating-disorder resource guidance. See our editorial policy for review standards.
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