[Psychoanalytically-based treatment of bulimia nervosa]

There is a long tradition of psychoanalytically oriented treatments for in-patients in Germany and a large proportion of bulimics is treated in this way, but there are very few reported controlled trials for this form of treatment. The treatment rationale for psychoanalytically orientated psychotherapy is discussed against the background of the specific psychopathology of bulimia and the principal elements of this form of treatment are presented. Recent results of a controlled study involving n = 32 Patients with a follow-up of 38 months are reported with regard to comparable evaluations. The possible healing factors via which psychoanalytically orientated treatments achieve their effects with bulimia nervosa are discussed.