Self-change in bulimia: A preliminary study

Abstract

This investigation explored the extent and nature of self-change in bulimia. Of 392 female undergraduates who were screened, 4% were classified as currently bulimic, 19% as formerly bulimic, 4% as compulsive eaters, 28% as atypical eaters, and 45% as normal eaters. Twenty-nine former bulimics participated in a session assessing factors in the transtheoreticat model of change. Fifteen of the 29 were designated as self-changers in both binge eating and purging. From these results, 42% of the total bulimic sample was estimated to have engaged in self-change. Results suggested that former bulimics emphasized helping relationships, self-liberation, and counterconditioning in the change process. Research and clinical implications of the results are discussed.