The cognitive-behavior therapies in the treatment of bulimia nervosa: a review

Objective  To review the literature about the use of cognitive-behavior therapy in bulimia nervosa treatment, between 2009 and 2013.

Methods  Three electronic databases were researched, and articles in English, Portuguese and Spanish were selected.

Results  After the analysis and exclusion of the articles, followed the PRISMA methods, were chosen 20 articles. Selected articles were produced in Europe or in United States of America, in English. The diagnosis of the sample ranged from only bulimia nervosa (60%) that included the people with binge eating disorders (35%), and mixed eating disorders diagnoses (5%). The researches were conducted mostly with women. The cognitive-behavior therapy in your classic form in office were used all of articles, sometimes used singly, sometimes used with other intervention (internet, CD-ROM, self-help). The cognitive behavior therapy decreases binge eating and purgation symptoms. It provides secondary benefits to participants like: decreases depressive and anxiety symptoms and change the participant’s personality. The other interventions studied have been successful in modifying symptoms, demonstrating that there is a new way forward climbed with these news forms of treatment.

Conclusion  Treatment of bulimia nervosa have enough evidences to be performed with the cognitive-behavioral therapy. Beyond, innovative psychotherapeutic interventions based on classical CBT have good indicators of effectiveness. Future research on these different interventions are needed.

Bulimia nervosa; cognitive therapy; behavioral therapy