Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adolescents with binge eating syndromes: a case series.

OBJECTIVE

Published empirically based studies of psychotherapies for bulimia nervosa (BN) have been conducted solely with adult populations. The current study extends the extant literature by piloting a version of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for BN adapted for an adolescent population.

METHOD: The participants were referred for treatment for binge eating and purging behaviors at a university clinic. Patients received pretreatment and posttreatment interviews assessing the frequency of their binge eating and purge behaviors, and they also completed pretreatment and posttreatment assessments with the Eating Disorders Examination (EDE).

RESULTS

Results indicated significant reductions in the frequency of binge eating from pretreatment to posttreatment. Furthermore, all subscale scores of the EDE showed significant declines from pretreatment to posttreatment.

CONCLUSION

The authors concluded that CBT adapted for adolescents with bulimic symptoms appears to be a promising intervention worthy of further study in adolescents.