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A Treatment Package without Escape Extinction to Address Food Selectivity
Published on: August 21, 2015
Cue exposure in the treatment of resistant bulimia nervosa
1Servei de Psiquiatria i Psicologia Infantil i Juvenil, Hospital Clínic Universitari, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. jtoro@clinic.ub.es
Objective:
It was hypothesized that binge eating (bulimia nervosa [BN]) may be caused by the anticipatory and immediate anxiety associated with certain types of food. Consequently, an extinction schedule should reduce binge eating.
Methods:
Cue exposure was carried out with 6 bulimic women who had responded poorly or not at all to the usual pharmacologic or cognitive-behavioral treatments.
Results:
Binge eating and vomiting were almost totally suppressed in the 6 patients. Symptom suppression was maintained at two follow-ups, one at 4-20 months and another at 2.5-3 years.
Discussion:
Cue exposure may be effective with BN that is resistant to conventional treatments. The anxiety associated with food plays an important role in provoking and/or maintaining binge eating. Motivation to change is likely to be an important mediator.
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