Comparison study of full and subthreshold bulimia nervosa: Personality, clinical characteristics, and short-term response to therapy

Abstract

This study compared symptomatological and personality differences between individuals with threshold bulimia nervosa (BN; n = 39) and those with subthreshold BN (n = 39) and their short-term response to a brief outpatient intervention. Participants were matched using a pairwise matching procedure, taking into account age, age of onset, and duration of the disorder. Both groups received the same brief outpatient psychoeducational therapy. The same assessment measures were used before and after treatment. With the exception of some clinical and psychopathological symptoms (higher depression and phobic anxiety in threshold BN), there were no significant between-group differences on scales of ge..