ABSTRACT
Anorexia (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are characterized by extreme attempts to control body shape and weight, a set of attitudes frequently described as a morbid fear of becoming fat, and concerns regarding weight and shape which have an undue influence in the evaluation of the self. A number of treatment approaches have demonstrated efficacy, at least in the short-term (Cox & Merkel, 1989; Garfmkel & Goldbloom, 1993; Hsu, 1990; Mitchell, 1991). However, a significant number of patients do not respond to current treatments (Fairbum, 1988; Fichter, Leibl, Rief, Brunner, Schmidt-Auberger, & Engel, 1991; Freeman, Davies, & Morris, 1990; Johnson & Connors, 1987), and treatments that have been demonstrated to be helpful often address the conceptual or cognitive and behavioral aspects of the disorders. The difficulty these people have with affect regulation, feelings of emptiness, and the experience of extreme aloneness are often less amenable to standard treatments.
