Comprehensive ARFID Intake Assessment

A trauma-informed, clinician-led ARFID assessment tool for adolescents and adults, you can use repeatedly in clinical practice to support deep understanding of each client’s ARFID presentation

Product Overview

This Comprehensive ARFID Intake Assessment is a 5-page, clinician-led interview tool designed to guide initial ARFID consultations lasting approximately 75–90 minutes. It is used with adolescents or adults, as well as with pediatric patients when conducted as a joint patient–parent interview.

The assessment is intentionally structured to support both thorough clinical information gathering and rapport-building, recognizing that trust and emotional safety are foundational to ARFID treatment engagement and outcomes.

Key Features

  • Clinician-led interview format (not a patient self-report form)
  • Five-page comprehensive intake designed for extended initial consultations
  • Trauma-informed framework, with gentle screening questions
  • Sequential structure that moves from rapport-building to deeper clinical inquiry
  • Narrative-style questions that encourage insight rather than yes/no responses
  • Adaptable flow, allowing clinicians to move between sections based on client cues
  • Suitable for adult, adolescent, and pediatric ARFID care
  • Printable PDF for handwritten use or conversion to a fillable format

Clinical Content Areas Assessed

This intake supports a detailed understanding of a client’s ARFID presentation, including:

  • Presenting concerns and referral context
  • Eating patterns, avoidance behaviors, and food variety
  • Sensory sensitivities and fear-based drivers
  • Medical, nutritional, and growth history
  • Psychosocial and environmental factors
  • Family dynamics and caregiver observations (for pediatric cases)
  • Relevant trauma considerations approached in a non-intrusive manner

Benefits for the Dietitian

  1. Provides a clear framework for conducting longer, in-depth ARFID intakes
  2. Supports therapeutic alliance and trust-building from the first session
  3. Helps generate a well-rounded clinical picture without overwhelming the client
  4. Reduces reliance on multiple intake forms or fragmented assessments
  5. Saves preparation time while allowing for individualized, flexible use

Many dietitians find that this assessment helps clients feel heard, understood, and supported during the initial visit, often leading to stronger engagement moving forward.

Recommended Use

This assessment is conducted during the initial ARFID consultation (75–90 minutes) and is used as a guided interview, not completed independently by the client. Handwritten use is encouraged when possible to support presence and connection, and the resource includes a complimentary “How to Use This Assessment” guide.

Includes Complimentary “How to Use This Assessment” Guide

This product includes a complimentary “How to Use” guide, written by the assessment’s creator, a dietitian with over 25 years of experience specializing in eating disorders and ARFID. The guide provides practical instruction on pacing, rapport-building, and flexible application of the assessment in clinical practice.

Intended Audience

This resource is intended for registered dietitians and clinicians treating ARFID, providers seeking a trauma-informed, relationship-centered intake, and practices working with adolescents, adults, and pediatric ARFID cases.

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