Requiring remission of undue influence of weight and shape on self-evaluation in the definition of recovery for bulimia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE

The current study evaluated the concurrent validity of requiring remission of undue influence of weight and shape on self-evaluation (undue influence) in defining recovery from bulimia nervosa (BN).

METHODS

Three groups completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire, the Body Shape Questionnaire, and the Social Adjustment Scale: 31 women were fully recovered from BN (FR), 28 women had no behavioral symptoms of BN (partially recovered [PR]), and 59 matched non-eating-disordered controls (MC).

RESULTS

The PR group had more pathologic scores on depression, anxiety, body dissatisfaction, and social adjustment compared with both the FR and MC groups, which did not differ from each other.

DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that including remission of cognitive symptoms in a standardized definition of recovery may prove to be clinically useful in establishing reliable prognostic indicators. Future research should evaluate the role played by cognitive symptoms in triggering relapse.