Treatment of bulimia nervosa: where are we and where are we going?

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to review the extant treatment literature on bulimia nervosa and to offer suggestions for future research directions. METHOD The available treatment studies regarding both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy are reviewed. RESULTS Both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy appear to play a role in the treatment of bulimia nervosa; however, available data suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy remains the treatment of choice. CONCLUSION Additional work is clearly indicated regarding assisted and unassisted self-help. An enhanced form of CBT and the integrative cognitive-affective therapy both deserve further study. New approaches need to be piloted. More research is needed on treatment modeling.