The SCOFF questionnaire utilizes an
acronym
An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...
in a simple five question test devised for use by non-professionals to assess the possible presence of an
eating disorder
An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviors that negatively affect a person's physical or mental health. Only one eating disorder can be diagnosed at a given time. Types of eating disorders include binge eating d ...
. It was devised by Morgan ''et al.'' in 1999.
The original SCOFF questionnaire was devised for use in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
, thus the original acronym needs to be adjusted for users in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
and
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...
. The "S" in SCOFF stands for "Sick" which in
British English
British English (BrE, en-GB, or BE) is, according to Oxford Dictionaries, "English as used in Great Britain, as distinct from that used elsewhere". More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in England, or, more broadl ...
means specifically to vomit. In
American English
American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the most widely spoken language in the United States and in most circumstances ...
and
Canadian English
Canadian English (CanE, CE, en-CA) encompasses the varieties of English native to Canada. According to the 2016 census, English was the first language of 19.4 million Canadians or 58.1% of the total population; the remainder spoke French ( ...
it is
synonymous
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are a ...
with "ill". The "O" is used in the acronym to denote "one stone". A "stone" is an
Imperial unit
The imperial system of units, imperial system or imperial units (also known as British Imperial or Exchequer Standards of 1826) is the system of units first defined in the British Weights and Measures Act 1824 and continued to be developed thr ...
of weight which made up of 14 lbs (equivalent to 6.35
kg). The letters in the full acronym are taken from key words in the questions:
*Sick
*Control
*One stone (14 lbs/6.5 kg)
*Fat
*Food
Scoring
One point is assigned for every "yes"; a score greater than two (≥2) indicates a possible case of
anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. ''Anorexia'' is a term of Gre ...
or
bulimia nervosa
Bulimia nervosa, also known as simply bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging or fasting, and excessive concern with body shape and weight. The aim of this activity is to expel the body of calories eaten ...
.
[{{cite journal, vauthors=Hill LS, Reid F, Morgan JF, Lacey JH, title=SCOFF, the development of an eating disorder screening questionnaire. , journal=Int J Eat Disord , year= 2010 , volume= 43 , issue= 4 , pages= 344–51 , pmid=19343793 , doi=10.1002/eat.20679 ]
See also
*
Body Attitudes Questionnaire
The Ben-Tovim Walker Body Attitudes Questionnaire (BAQ) is a 44 item self-report questionnaire divided into six subscales that measures a woman's attitude towards her own body. The BAQ is used in the assessment of eating disorders. It was devised b ...
*
Body Attitudes Test
The Body Attitudes Test (BAT) was developed by Probst ''et al.'' in 1995. It was designed for the assessment of multiple eating disorders in women. The BAT measures an individual's subjective body experience and attitudes towards one's own body. I ...
*
Eating Attitudes Test
The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT, EAT-26), created by David Garner, is a widely used 26-item, standardized self-reported questionnaire of symptoms and concerns characteristic of eating disorders. The EAT is useful in assessing "eating disorder ris ...
*
Eating Disorder Examination Interview
*
Eating Disorder Inventory
The Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) is a self-report questionnaire used to assess the presence of eating disorders, (a) anorexia nervosa both restricting and binge-eating/purging type; (b) bulimia nervosa; and (c) eating disorder not otherwise sp ...
*
Minnesota Eating Behavior Survey
References
External links
questionnaire online''
Eating disorders screening and assessment tools