Why is attendance variable at groups for women with bulimia nervosa? The role of eating psychopathology and other characteristics

OBJECTIVE: A substantial number of bulimic patients either fail to complete group therapy or miss a large number of sessions. This study examines the differences in eating psychopathology and other clinical features of women who either drop out of group therapy or attend intermittently. METHOD: Fifteen women who attended group therapy for bulimia completed measures of their eating psychopathology and other characteristics at the outset of the group. The women who completed the group were compared with those who did not, and the proportion of sessions attended was correlated with the women's pretreatment characteristics. RESULTS: In general, poor attendance at group therapy for bulimic disorders appears to have been related to the group not addressing the women's immediate wishes (e.g., weight loss). Good attendance was associated with more severe levels of bulimic pathology (binging and vomiting). DISCUSSION: These findings are related to the small existing literature. Clinicians setting up groups might use these conclusions to indicate who would be most likely to benefit from group therapy for bulimic disorders.