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Updated: May 11, 2026
04:48
Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System
Published on: May 8, 2018
Guided self-help CBT treatment for bulimic disorders: effectiveness and clinically significant change
Ana Rita Vaz1, Eva Conceição, Paulo P P Machado
1Escola de Psicologia, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal.
Summary
Cognitive-behavioral guided self-help treatment significantly reduced symptoms in patients with bulimia nervosa and similar disorders. The program showed clinically significant improvements for most participants in this study.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Bulimia nervosa and related disorders require effective, accessible treatments.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a recognized approach for eating disorders.
- Guided self-help programs offer a potentially scalable treatment option.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral guided self-help treatment program.
- To assess treatment outcomes for individuals with bulimia nervosa and similar eating disorders.
- To determine if the intervention leads to clinically significant changes.
Main Methods:
- A one-group repeated measures naturalistic design was employed.
- Forty-two participants from an eating disorder service were enrolled.
- Assessments included the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), Outcome-Questionnaire-45 (OQ-45), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) at baseline, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up.
Main Results:
- Significant reductions were observed in EDE-Q, OQ-45, and BDI scores.
- The majority of participants achieved clinically significant improvements.
- Sustained benefits were noted at the 6-month follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive-behavioral guided self-help treatment is effective for bulimia nervosa and similar disorders.
- This approach may serve as a valuable initial treatment option.
- The findings support the utility of self-help interventions in eating disorder management.
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