Changes during treatment for bulimia nervosa: a comparison of three psychological treatments.

Journal article

Seventy-five patients with bulimia nervosa were treated with cognitive behaviour therapy, behaviour therapy or interpersonal psychotherapy. The changes that occurred during treatment were assessed in a subsample of 38 patients. There was an immediate decrease in the frequency of binge-eating and purging (self-induced vomiting or laxative misuse). This continued for 4 wk in interpersonal psychotherapy and for 8 wk in the other two treatment conditions. There were no clear differences between the three treatments in the time course of their effects on a global measure of eating behaviour and attitudes or on measures of depression and self-esteem. The findings suggest that certain shared 'non-specific' properties of psychological treatments can have a substantial early effect on the eating behaviour of patients with bulimia nervosa. Indeed, patients with bulimia nervosa may be particularly likely to show non-specific treatment effects. Cognitive behaviour therapy and behaviour therapy appear to have an immediate influence on eating behaviour over and above these non-specific effects. The study gave no clues as to the mechanism of action of interpersonal psychotherapy.

Authors: Jones, R; Peveler, R; Hope, R; Fairburn, C

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Behaviour research and therapy
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 479-485
• Publication date: 1993-06-01
• DOI: 10.1016/0005-7967(93)90128-h
• EISSN: 1873-622X
• ISSN: 0005-7967
• Language: English
• Keywords: Bulimia; Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care); Humans; Behavior Therapy; Adult; Female; Cognitive Therapy; Psychotherapy, Brief