title: A trial of a relapse prevention strategy in women with bulimia nervosa who respond to cognitive-behavior therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines a relapse prevention strategy for bulimia nervosa (BN). Subjects in a multicenter BN treatment trial who initially achieved abstinence after a course of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) were told to recontact the clinic if they had a recurrence of symptoms or feared such a reoccurrence so that they could receive additional therapy visits.
  
  
  METHODS
  At the end of CBT, subjects whose scores on the Eating Disorders Examination indicated that they were abstinent from binge eating and purging, and therefore considered to be treated successfully, were assigned randomly to follow-up only or to a crisis intervention model. With the crisis intervention model, subjects would receive additional visits if needed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the 30 subjects who relapsed during the follow-up sought additional treatment visits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simply telling patients with BN who appear to have been successfully treated to come back if they have additional problems, or fear that they are developing such problems, may be an ineffective relapse prevention technique. Alternative strategies, such as planned return visits or phone calls, should be considered as alternative relapse prevention strategies.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Research Institute and the Department of Neurosciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Fargo, North Dakota 58107-1415, USA. Mitchell@medicine.nodak.edu
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: W Stewart
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Agras
authors.forename: G Terence
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Halmi
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kraemer
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002032:Bulimia / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016896:Treatment Outcome