What this DBQ covers
The Eating Disorders DBQ documents a diagnosed eating disorder, its history, relevant findings, and effects on function. It is separate from the general Mental Disorders questionnaire. The form includes instructions about the qualifications and supervision required for mental health examinations. These are clinical assessments, not a symptom checklist to complete on your own, and the information should reflect the person's actual experience and treatment history.
The important sections, explained
Diagnosis and the course of treatment
The form records the diagnosed eating disorder, medical history and clinical findings. A weight change alone does not describe the diagnosis or the full impact of the illness. Bring relevant treatment summaries and clinician-recorded measurements where available. Identify the period of each finding and what care occurred then. The examiner must meet the form's qualification requirements and determine the clinical assessment; you do not need to classify the disorder or calculate a target weight yourself.
Read the official form: page 2
Current effects and functional history
The other-symptoms and functional-impact sections provide space for effects beyond a single measurement. Describe changes in ordinary routines and treatment needs factually, without trying to demonstrate a particular severity. If care included a hospital stay or specialized program, include the discharge or treatment summary and current follow-up. The clinician can distinguish earlier illness, response to treatment and present findings. Recovery or partial improvement belongs in the history as clearly as continuing difficulties.
How to prepare useful information
Bring relevant mental health and medical treatment records, including hospital care and prescribed treatment when applicable. Explain changes over time and how the condition affects daily life. A clinician should interpret measurements and assess the findings rather than having you calculate or select a severity category. When the form asks about a defined episode, use the supporting treatment records and the form's instructions instead of assuming every difficult day meets that definition.
Fictional example
A veteran brings a treatment summary and current follow-up note. They describe how appointments and symptoms affect ordinary routines and explain what has improved since an earlier period of care. The examiner can consider the documented course and present needs. The example does not ask the veteran to reproduce disordered behavior, reach a measurement or present a worst period as the current condition.
Records to gather
Start with records you already have. Bring the relevant information to your clinician and explain any gaps or uncertain dates.
- Records identifying the diagnosis and relevant mental health evaluation
- Treatment and hospitalization history where applicable
- Examples of daily limitations and changes over time
A detail that is easy to miss
Do not use a single self-recorded measurement as the entire history. Dated clinical information and treatment context are more informative. Avoid changing food intake, hydration, medication or treatment to influence the examination. If the discussion is difficult, bring a concise note about the relevant history and tell the clinician where you need help explaining it.
Find your way around the official form
These section headings come from the linked VA PDF. Each link opens the page where the section begins. Read the form's own instructions for the full questions and any required attachments.
Who completes the clinical sections?
The healthcare provider completes the clinical assessment, identifies the records reviewed, and signs the questionnaire. You can gather records and describe symptoms and daily limitations. Measurements, diagnoses, and clinical conclusions belong to the examiner.
This form specifies examiner qualifications and supervision requirements for mental health examinations. Review the instructions on the first page with your provider before arranging completion.
A completed DBQ can help document the medical condition. Whether it also answers a particular service-connection question depends on its content and the other evidence. VA may verify the form or request another examination.
Common questions
Can any clinician complete the mental health examination sections?
The form specifies examiner qualifications and supervision requirements. Review those instructions with the treating provider before arranging an evaluation. The requirements depend on the examination context, so this guide does not assume that any provider who can discuss symptoms can complete every clinical assessment.
Should I change my routine before the assessment?
Continue following your treatment team's advice. The purpose is to document the actual condition and care history, not create a particular examination finding. Bring existing records and discuss any preparation instructions directly with the qualified provider.
Can treatment progress be included without hiding the illness?
Yes. Describe improvement, continuing symptoms and current support accurately. The clinician needs the course of the condition and present findings. A truthful account of treatment response is more useful than omitting progress or portraying an earlier period as unchanged.
Official source and editorial approach
This is Claim Raven's plain-language guide, separate from the official questionnaire. The explanation and checklist were prepared from the linked form. They help you understand and organize information; they are not an assessment of your individual claim.
Eating Disorders: official VA PDF
Printed revision: 2024-07-31 ~v24_1
Source checked: September 9, 2026
Source verification details
SHA-256 of the PDF checked for this guide:6757d461fb2e722f0e02e2aeaf05712f994a57a1c18aad9155a06918dd893cc5