title: Self-help for bulimia nervosa: a preliminary report.
abstract: Eighteen patients with DSM-III-R bulimia nervosa were treated by providing them with supervision in the use of a self-help manual based on the cognitive behavioral treatment for the disorder. The patients were assessed before beginning the self-help program, and again 4 to 6 months later, using standardized measures of psychopathology. The findings were encouraging. At follow-up one half of the patients had ceased bulimic episodes and self-induced vomiting, and most of the remainder had made significant improvements. These preliminary findings, together with related published work, suggest that supervised self-help might be an appropriate first line treatment for patients with bulimia nervosa and that for many patients it could be sufficient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, England.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coker
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fleming
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002032:Bulimia / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008370:Manuals as Topic; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires