Review: individual psychotherapy may be an effective treatment for people with bulimia nervosa.

Study selection and analysis: Randomised controlled trials, using validated outcome measures, comparing mainly face-toface psychosocial treatments for bulimia with either a control condition or an alternative treatment were included. Exclusions: naturalistic studies, studies in uncommon subtypes of bulimia, not published in English, or fewer than 10 participants. Data were extracted on number of participants, losses to follow up, effect size for binge eating and purging (Cohen’s d; treatment-control and pre-post), percentage recovery (defined as complete recovery or recovery from purging), mean post-treatment symptoms (mean weekly binge eating and purging episodes), and percentage of participants seeking further treatment during follow up.