AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THOUGHTS AND EATINGBEHAVIOR IN BULIMIA-NERVOSA

This study tested the hypothesis that cognitive disturbance has a caus al role in the maintenance of disturbed eating in bulimia nervosa. Tho ughts about eating, weight and shape were activated in one group of pa tients with bulimia nervosa (the experimental group) but not in anothe r (the control group). There was an increase in negative self-statemen ts in the experimental group following the experimental manipulation. Food consumption was then measured in a taste test. As predicted, the experimental group ate less in the short term than the control group. Contrary to expectations, they did not subsequently report more object ive bulimic episodes as a consequence of this decreased food intake. T hey did, however, report significantly fewer subjective bulimic episod es.