Assessment Instrument

The Youth Evaluation Scale

 

The Youth Evaluation Scale, acronymed Y.E.S., is a computerized, biopsychosocial assessment instrument for weight-related problems of boys and girls 12 to 20 years of age. Y.E.S. is designed for individual assessment and is a valuable component of the assessment of bulimia and anorexia nervosa. Subscales include: Physical, Behavioral, Fitness, Depression, Anxiety, Self-Esteem, Family System, Communication and Knowledge.

Instruments

Y.E.S. includes questionnaires for the adolescent and parent(s) which are computer analyzed. Answers to over 600 questions are compared to established norms in each subscale. The analysis generates the Y.E.S. PROVIDER'S SUMMARY REPORT which presents historical, sensitive and specific information to the clinician. A separate Y.E.S. RESULTS REPORT is also generated for parent(s) and adolescent education. Follow-up questionnaires and data summaries support the evaluation of post-treatment and long term changes.

 

Process

Using Y.E.S. involves administering the questionnaires to the adolescent and parent(s) and collecting data on weight, height and triceps skin fold. (Data on fitness, blood pressure and lipid studies are optional.) Y.E.S. questionnaires are sent by mail for processing and are returned with the Y.E.S. REPORTS in as little as four days.

 

Y.E.S. PROVIDER'S SUMMARY REPORT

This report for the care provider contains a complete profile of the patient and his or her family as well as more sensitive and confidential information regarding possible abuse, or high-risk behaviors. Content includes Demographics, biological and psychosocial development, physical health, psychosocial health, and weight or eating problem history. The family system is also profiled including health history, obesity-related medical problems, and function/dysfunction assessment.

Y.E.S. RESULTS REPORT

For the Adolescent		Adiposity: relative weight, triceps skinfold percentile Fitness: endurance, flexibility, strength Behavior: comprehensive assessment of eating behaviors and attitudes, activity and communication. Affect: depression, anxiety, self-esteem
For the Parent(s)		Behavior and Attitudes: weight and eating-problem related issues.
For the Family		Family system: balanced, mid-range, extreme/rigid, chaotic, disengaged, or enmeshed profiling Communication: openness and family communication problems

 

Development

Y.E.S. was developed at the University of California, San Francisco, with support from the Departments of Family and Community Medicine and Pediatrics. The instrument has been rated highly by both clinicians and researchers.
Contact us to request a free Y.E.S. brochure and sample patient reports: info@childobesity.com.