THE SHORT-TERM FOLLOW-UP EFFECTS OF HYPNOBEHAVIOURAL AND COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT FOR BULIMIA-NERVOSA

This study reports the short-term (nine months) follow-up effects of e ight weeks of hypnobehavioural and cognitive behavioural treatment of bulimia nervosa. Of the 78 subjects who entered treatment, 48 complete d a closed follow-up of nine months duration. The results based on thi s sample showed that there were no differences in abstinence from bing eing and purging between the treatments and that abstinence increased over time for both treatments. Also, there were no differences between treatments on eating pathology, bulimic behaviours or general psychop athology measures in the short term. Both treatment types were equally acceptable to patients. The results were compared with other studies. It was suggested that the model for HBT is comparable in validity wit h the model underlying CBT and that HBT could justifiably be recommend ed as an alternative to CBT.