ABSTRACT
Chapter 6 presents an integrative approach to psychological treatment of body image disorders in eating disorder patients. Common and specific therapeutic factors in treatment of body image disorders in eating disorder patients are presented, together with an integration of psychodynamic, cognitive–behavioral, and psychodramatic approaches. Psychological models of treatment are dominated by the holistic and transdiagnostic approaches which underline the importance of multidimensional therapeutic interventions. Psychological diagnosis of body image distortions which also considers the psychodynamic diagnosis of the personality structure and integrative psychotherapy creates the opportunity for flexible, but evidence-based treatment of body image distortions in eating disorders. Theoretical considerations are presented based on case studies of eating disorder patients undergoing psychodynamic (group or individual) therapy with a simultaneous inclusion of cognitive–behavioral and psychodrama elements in treating body image disorders. This way, the creativity and spontaneity inherent in the psychodrama techniques are presented as important sources of cognitive and emotional insight, knowledge about the patient, and corrective emotional experiences. Integrative use of group and individual psychodynamic therapy with psychodrama techniques is a positive prognosis for the treatment process of eating disorder patients’ body image distortions.
