Patterns of symptom change in the short-term group treatment of bulimia

Abstract

This study examines the effect on bulimic symptomatology of short-term group treatment using a combined cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic approach in 92 female subjects. Patterns of symptom change at the completion of a 12-week group were studied. Changes in frequency of bingeing and vomiting pre- and posttest were measured by means of dependent correlated t-tests. Although results indicated that, in general, there was a decrease in both bingeing and vomiting from the beginning to the end of the group, various patterns of symptom change were observed based upon presenting severity of symptomatology.