Predictors of outcome for two treatments for bulimia nervosa: Short and long term

✍ Scribed by Turnbull, Susan J. ;Schmidt, Ulrike ;Troop, Nicholas A. ;Tiller, Jane ;Todd, Gill ;Treasure, Janet L.

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 176 KB
• Volume: 21
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0276-3478
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1098-108x(199701)21:1<17::aid-eat2>3.0.co;2-6

✦ Synopsis

Objective:

This study examined pretreatment variables to predict outcome in two treatments for bulimia nervosa.

Method:

Patients were offered either 16 weeks of cognitive-behavioral therapy (cbt) or a self-treatment manual followed by up to 8 weeks of cbt (sequential group). using complete data, stepwise regression analyses were performed.

Results:

It was found that a longer duration of illness and lower binge frequency predicted a better outcome both at the end of treatment (p < .001) and at 18 months of follow-up (p < .005). in the sequential group, lower pretreatment binge frequency predicted better outcome at the end of treatment (p < .05) and at 18 months of follow-up (p < .05). in the cbt group, longer duration of illness predicted better outcome at the end of treatment (p < .02).

Discussion:

It is concluded that (1) those with more frequent binging may require a more intense intervention and (2) those who have been ill longer may be more motivated to respond to treatment.