Self-help versus therapist-led group cognitive-behavioral treatment of binge eating disorder at follow-up

• Published in: The International journal of eating disorders Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 363 - 374
• Main Authors: Peterson, Carol B., Mitchell, James E., Engbloom, Sara, Nugent, Sean, Mussell, Melissa Pederson, Crow, Scott J., Thuras, Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.12.2001; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy; Binge eating; binge eating disorders; Biological and medical sciences; Bulimia - therapy; Cognitive Therapy - methods; cognitive-behavioral therapy; Eating disorders; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Group therapy; Humans; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; psychoeducation; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Self help; Self-Help Groups; Treatments; Videotape Recording; Human; Cognitive therapy; Treatment efficiency; Group psychotherapy; Eating disorder; Long term; Symptomatology; Binge eating; Follow up study; Young adult; Adult; Evolution; Female; Behavior therapy
• ISSN: 0276-3478; 1098-108X
• DOI: 10.1002/eat.1098

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the longer‐term outcome of three group cognitive‐behavioral therapy (CBT) delivery models for the treatment of binge eating disorder (BED). Method Fifty‐one participants were assigned to one of three conditions. In the therapist‐led condition (TL; n = 16), a psychologist provided psychoeducational information for the first half hour and led a group discussion for the second half hour of each session. In the partial self‐help condition (PSH; n = 19), participants viewed a 30‐min psychoeducational videotape, followed by a therapist‐led discussion. In the structured self‐help condition (SSH; n = 16), participants watched a psychoeducational videotape and led their own discussion. Results Reductions in binge eating episodes and associated symptoms were observed for all three treatments at post, 1‐month, 6‐month, and 1‐year follow‐up, with no significant differences among the three conditions. Discussion These findings suggest that CBT for BED can be delivered successfully using videotape and a structured self‐help group format and that improvements in binge eating are maintained up to 1 year follow‐up. © 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 30: 363–374, 2001.