An uncontrolled evaluation of inpatient and outpatient cognitive-behavior therapy for bulimia nervosa

Inpatient (n = 27) and outpatient (n = 22) cognitive-behavior therapy programs for bulimia nervosa were evaluated in an uncontrolled experiment. Both treatment conditions included exposure with response prevention and cognitive restructuring. Inpatient treatment had a mean length of stay of 5 weeks. Outpatient treatment lasted 15 weeks. Both groups were followed after the end of treatment. The results showed that both programs were effective in reducing problems associated with bulimia nervosa. The inpatient program led to very rapid progress, whereas the outpatient program led to more gradual improvement. There was, however, a trend toward relapse for inpatients. Other psychological disturbances, (e.g., depression) were improved after inpatient, but not outpatient, treatment. These data were discussed in terms of their implications for treatment planning for cases of bulimia nervosa.