Social adjustment over 10 years following diagnosis with bulimia nervosa

Objective: The authors sought to describe social adjustment among women dia gnosed with bulimia nervosa more than a decade earlier. Method: A cohort of women who were diagnosed with bulimia nervosa between 1981 and 1987 were l ocated and invited to participate in follow-up assessments. Results: Althou gh the current sample demonstrated considerable improvement in disordered e ating behaviors and social adjustment, measures of social adjustment sugges ted continued impairment in interpersonal relationships and only a modest a ssociation with eating disorder outcome. Discussion: Continued difficulties in social adjustment may reflect an underlying vulnerability from which di sordered eating developed. Treatments for bulimia nervosa may benefit from including interpersonal skills training. (C) 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc .