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Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Eating Disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2008

Zafra Cooper*
Affiliation:
University of Oxford, UK
Roz Shafran
Affiliation:
University of Reading, UK
*
Reprint requests to Zafra Cooper, Oxford University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX, UK. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

The eating disorders provide one of the strongest indications for cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). This bold claim arises from two sources: first, the fact that eating disorders are essentially cognitive disorders and second, the demonstrated effectiveness of CBT in the treatment of bulimia nervosa, which has led to the widespread acceptance that CBT is the treatment of choice. In this paper the cognitive behavioural approach to the understanding and treatment of eating disorders will be described. A brief summary of the evidence for this account and of the data supporting the efficacy and effectiveness of this form of treatment will be provided. Challenges for the future development and dissemination of the treatment will be identified.

Type
Treatment Applications
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2008

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