Treating Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.

Research on the treatment of eating disorders is a relatively new field, dating back approximately 20 years (Peterson & Mitchell, 1999). The purpose of this article is to describe the most widely used treatments for anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) and review the existing literature on the effectiveness of the identified treatments. Specifically, this article examines the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy, family therapy, interpersonal therapy, and pharmacotherapy in the treatment of AN and BN. Each of the reviewed treatment modalities has some level of effectiveness, either alone or in conjunction with another treatment approach, in treating either AN or BN.