Night eating syndrome: survey of assessment and treatment practices

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how treatment professionals who specialize in eating disorders assess, treat, and monitor treatment outcomes for night eating behavior. Members of the Academy for Eating Disorders were invited to complete a survey that assessed demographic characteristics, assessment methods, and treatment practices of night eating behavior. It was hypothesized that less than fifty percent of eating disorder treatment providers do not assess for night eating behavior in their practice, that less than fifty percent of eating disorder treatment providers do not monitor night eating-related treatment outcomes in their practice, and that clinicians trained at doctoral level would be more likely to assess night eating behaviors than other professionals. Contrary to expectation, most providers reported (1) assessing night eating behavior in their practice and (2) monitoring night eating treatment outcome. There were no differences in assessment practices between doctoral and non-doctoral level providers.