DIAGNOSIS: Binge Eating Disorder
TREATMENT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Binge Eating Disorder

2015 EST Status: Treatment pending re-evaluation Very strong: High-quality evidence that treatment improves symptoms and functional outcomes at post-treatment and follow-up; little risk of harm; requires reasonable amount of resources; effective in non-research settings

Strong: Moderate- to high-quality evidence that treatment improves symptoms OR functional outcomes; not a high risk of harm; reasonable use of resources

Weak: Low or very low-quality evidence that treatment produces clinically meaningful effects on symptoms or functional outcomes; Gains from the treatment may not warrant resources involved

Insufficient Evidence: No meta-analytic study could be identified

Insufficient Evidence: Existing meta-analyses are not of sufficient quality

Treatment pending re-evaluation

1998 EST Status: Strong Research Support Strong: Support from two well-designed studies conducted by independent investigators.

Modest: Support from one well-designed study or several adequately designed studies.

Controversial: Conflicting results, or claims regarding mechanisms are unsupported.

Strength of Research Support

Empirical Review Status
2015 Criteria
(Tolin et al. Recommendation)
Very Strong
Strong
Weak
Insufficient Evidence
Treatment pending re-evaluation
1998 Criteria
(Chambless et al. EST)
Strong
Modest
Controversial

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Brief Summary

  • Basic premise: Dietary restraint leads to binge eating, which leads to further dietary restraint. Thus, reducing dietary restriction via cognitive and behavioral interventions can reduce binge eating.
  • Essence of therapy: Dietary restraint promotes and maintains binge eating pathology; thus, the treatment is designed to reduce dietary restraint through behavioral strategies (e.g., self-monitoring of behaviors, normalizing patterns of eating). The treatment also includes modifying dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs about one's body shape and weight, which is also designed to reduce eating disorder pathology.
  • Length: Approx. 16 sessions
 

Treatment Resources

Editors:Evan Forman, PhD; Stephanie Manasse, MS

Note: The resources provided below are intended to supplement not replace foundational training in mental health treatment and evidence-based practice

Treatment Manuals / Outlines

Treatment Manuals

Measures, Handouts and Worksheets

Self-help Books

Important Note: The books listed above are based on empirically-supported in-person treatments. They have not necessarily been evaluated empirically either by themselves or in conjunction with in-person treatment. We list them as a resource for clinicians who assign them as an adjunct to conducting in-person treatment.

Clinical Trials

 

Other Treatment Resources