ABSTRACT
During the past two decades, we have witnessed the exponential growth of a clinical and research literature on bulimia nervosa. Considerable research efforts have been directed toward describing bulimia nervosa, documenting prevalence rates in various populations, identifying risk factors, and developing effective treatment approaches. (For summaries of this literature, the reader is referred to Fairburn, Agras, & Wilson, in press; Fairburn & Beglin, 1990; Johnson & Connors, 1987; Mitchell, 1991). In contrast, publications concerning prevention are rare. Although few in number, these articles on prevention provide detailed discussions of conceptual and practical issues involved in efforts to prevent bulimia nervosa (Clark, Levine, & Kinney, 1988–1989; Crisp, 1988; Hotelling, 1988–1989; Levine, 1987; Sesan, 1988–1989, 1989; Shisslak, Crago, Neal, & Swain, 1987; Smead, 1985; Striegel-Moore & Silberstein, 1989; Striegel-Moore, 1989). This literature focuses largely on secondary prevention (i.e., efforts to reduce the prevalence of the disorder through early identification and early intervention), and considerable attention is devoted to interventions designed to increase resilience in populations at risk for the disorder.
