Cognitive-behavioral therapy for bulimia nervosa: an illustration.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for bulimia nervosa (BN) is a well-developed, theoretically grounded treatment for BN with the strongest empirical support for its efficacy of any form of treatment for BN. The treatment package comprises three distinct phases typically delivered over 20 weeks. Incorporating a variety of specific interventions, these three phases of treatment focus systematically on (i) dietary restraint, (ii) dysfunctional beliefs about body weight and shape, and (iii) reactions to recurrence of symptoms, which are thought to be the primary operative mechanisms that cause and maintain BN symptoms. Case material is presented to illustrate cognitive-behavioral treatment principles.