A review of the controlled trials of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy in the treatment of bulimia nervosa

The treatment literature on bulimia nervosa includes several double‐blind placebo controlled studies, the majority of which examine the use of antidepressants in bulimia nervosa. The psychotherapy literature has focused heavily on the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in the treatment of this eating disorder. Some studies have compared CBT to other types of therapy or waiting list controls. The following review will examine the methodology and outcome of the pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy treatment studies of bulimia nervosa. The authors conclude that while the studies indicate treatment is somewhat effective, there remains uncertainty regarding the long‐term effectiveness of most of the reported treatments. © 1993 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.