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Behavior Modification of Obesity and Anorexia Nervosa

Albert Stunkard, MD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1972;26(5):391-398.

Abstract
New approaches to psychotherapy, which appear more effective than traditional ones in modifying several kinds of disturbed behavior, have recently been applied to the eating disorders. Patients with both anorexia nervosa and obesity have responded to behavior modification, and experience with obesity has already been sufficient to permit the development and description of relatively specific behavioral programs. These programs have been used to compare behavior modification in a systematic manner with a variety of alternate treatment methods. Every one of eight such studies has reported results favoring behavior modification, an unusual example of unanimity in this heterogeneous and complex disorder. Furthermore, some new experimental designs developed in these studies are making a significant contribution to the study of psychotherapy and the elucidation of its effective components.

Author Affiliations
Philadelphia

From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia General Hospital, Philadelphia, and the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, Calif.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Aug 19, 1971.

Reprint requests to Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104 (Dr. Stunkard).

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