Commitment to treatment goals in prediction of group cognitive-behavioral therapy treatment outcome for women with bulimia nervosa

The purpose of this study was to investigate potential client variables that predict favorable response to group cognitive-behavioral therahpy in a sample of women (N = 143) seeking treatment for bulimia nervosa. Similar to findings of previous studies, bulimic symptom remission at end of treatment was predicted by baseline degree of bulimic symptom severity but not by depressive symptomatology or perfectionism. After these variables were controlled for, both pretreatment ratings of desire to discontinue bulimic behaviors and expected success significantly added to prediction of treatment outcome. The primary variable found to predict longer term outcome was symptom remission at the end of treatment and at the 1-month follow-up.