The abstinence violation effect in bulimia nervosa.

Bulimia nervosa often follows a chronic and relapsing course. To understand relapse in this disorder, we highlight cognitive processes underlying the binge/purge cycle. Links are drawn between cognitions, causal perceptions, and the binge/purge cycle in a reformulation of the abstinence violation effect with a special focus on attributions. This reformulation is then applied to the lapse-relapse transition in bulimia nervosa. Finally, theoretical and clinical implications of the reformulation are presented.