5361 THE CASE OF ALICIA- ANOREXIA - 1996 Words

U9-Final Assignment: The Case of Alicia Flor Chavez COUN5106 - Assessment Tests and Measures December 13, 2014 Lynn Jones Ph.D. Unit 9- Final Assignment Diagnosing potential Anorexia nervosa is not always easy, and Alicia’s case, based on information given and her representation, is not clear cut. Researchers argue that the diagnosis has to be done carefully and potential ambiguities have to be resolved (Baer Blais, 2010). For example, some researchers have argued that one criterion, such as a fear of being fat, can decrease significantly when the person actually loses some weight (Surgenor Maguire, 2013). For reasons like this, selecting the primary question, namely whether or not the patient has Anorexia†¦show more content†¦The first thing to consider is Alicia’s BMI. She stated that her weight is 120 pounds, but based on her appearance and loose-fitting clothes, it could be that she underreports her weight as it is quite common for individuals with eating disorders to hide and lie about their real weight. So if we are to assume that Alicia’s weight is at least five pounds l ess than she says (which is a conservative estimate), her BMI is around 19.1. This score indicates the borderline situation, which, according to some researchers, is on the low range of normal weight (Hilbert et al., 2007). According to other researchers, this BMI will put Alicia in the underweight category. Still, this weight is not yet dangerously low, so additional assessment is needed. The Eating Attitude Test yields the overall score and has three subscales that can help determine some specifics. The overall score has a cutoff of 20, and those who score less than 20 are considered as not having an eating disorder, while those who score 20 and more will have to be evaluated by the follow-up assessment tool (Garner Garfinkel, 1979). The subscales reveal information about bulimia, food preoccupation, dieting and oral control subscales. If any of behavioral questions are selected, this adds additional evidence as to the presence of weight-controlling behaviors. Accordingly, if Ali cia has a BMI that falls into the underweight category according to this test, scored 20 or more, and selected at least