The prediction of treatment response in bulimia nervosa. A study of patient variables.

To investigate the predictive value of a wide range of variables for distinguishing subjects who demonstrate a favourable treatment response from those who do not, 86 women with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of bulimia nervosa who completed a group treatment programme for eating disorders were studied. Discriminant-function analysis of demographic variables, weight history, specific eating-disorder psychopathology, mood status and social adjustment before treatment was performed; five factors (depression and core symptoms of eating disorder) best discriminated 'positive' from 'poor' treatment responders, accounting for 44% of the variance.