Sequencing of cognitive-behavioral treatments for bulimia nervosa

✍ Scribed by Davis, Ron ;McVey, Gail ;Heinmaa, Margus ;Rockert, Wendi ;Kennedy, Sidney

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 165 KB
• Volume: 25
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0276-3478
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1098-108x(199905)25:4<361::aid-eat1>3.0.co;2-#

✦ Synopsis

Objective: This study investigated the efficacy of a stepped-care trial of brief group psychoeducation (PE) followed by individual cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in the treatment of bulimia nervosa. Method: Fifty-six subjects first completed PE and were then randomly assigned to either a 16-week trial of CBT (PE+CBT) or to no further treatment follow-up (PE-alone). Results: Compared to PE-alone, PE+CBT produced significantly greater reductions in the specific eating symptoms of binging and purging and significantly higher remission rates that were maintained over a 16-week follow-up. However, there were no differential treatment effects on measures of nonspecific psychopathology. Among PE+CBT subjects, remission in specific eating symptoms was associated with greatest improvements in nonspecific psychopathology. The outcome of nonremitted PE+CBT subjects and PE-alone subjects was no different at posttreatment or follow-up. Discussion: These results provide limited support for offering individual CBT to subjects once they have completed an initial trial of group PE.