Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Adolescents With Bulimia

Interested adolescents will have a phone screen and then come in for an in-person psychiatric evaluation. If eligible and interested, they will be randomly assigned to 4 months of outpatient treatment (free of charge) that is either 1) cognitive-behavioral therapy or 2) supportive psychotherapy.

Inclusion criteria

• Current or prior DSM IV diagnosis of Bulimia Nervosa or Sub-threshold Bulimia Nervosa (those who meet all DSM-IV criteria for BN, but engage in subjective binge-eating episodes and binge/purge at a frequency of at least once per week for 3 months, whereas meeting full DSM-IV criteria for BN requires binge eating and purging twice per week for 3 months)
• Major Depression

Exclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of bipolar disorder, current psychosis, drug or alcohol abuse in past 3 months, acute suicidal risk, major depression producing significant functional impairment, significant medical illness, weight outside of normal weight range.