Psychological treatment of eating disorders.
Significant progress has been achieved in the development and evaluation of evidence-based psychological treatments for eating disorders over the past 25 years. Cognitive behavioral therapy is currently the treatment of choice for bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder, and existing evidence supports the use of a specific form of family therapy for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Important challenges remain. Even the most effective interventions for bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder fail to help a substantial number of patients. A priority must be the extension and adaptation of these treatments to a broader range of eating disorders (eating disorder not otherwise specified), to adolescents, who have been largely overlooked in clinical research, and to chronic, treatment-resistant cases of anorexia nervosa. The article highlights current conceptual and clinical innovations designed to improve on existing therapeutic efficacy. The problems of increasing the dissemination of evidence-based treatments that are unavailable in most clinical service settings are discussed.
Wilson
G Terence
GT
Rutgers Eating Disorders Clinic, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. tewilson@rci.rutgers.edu
Grilo
Carlos M
CM
Vitousek
Kelly M
KM
D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D005793:Generalization, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016896:Treatment Outcome