A TREATMENT FOR COLLEGE-WOMEN AT RISK FOR BULIMIA - A CONTROLLED EVALUATION

Twenty-nine college women evidencing low body esteem, repeated dieting efforts, and other dysfunctional eating behaviors or attitudes were r andomly assigned to group treatment or control conditions. At posttest and follow-up, participants who received the intervention reported si gnificantly improved levels of self-esteem and body satisfaction, as,y ell as reductions in their reliance on potentially dangerous methods o f weight management compared with controls. They also reported fewer f ears of negative evaluation by others and endorsed fewer stereotypes a bout thinness and attractiveness. Finally, participants in the treatme nt condition showed significantly reduced levels of perfectionism at p osttest, bur this change was not maintained at follow-up. Clinical imp lications and research recommendations are discussed.