Eating and sleep disorders: psychological treatment of bulimia nervosa: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Eating and sleep disorders: psychological treatment of bulimia nervosa

Sample item

An adult with bulimia nervosa binges and vomits several times a week. She is not medically unstable. Which psychological treatment has the strongest evidence as first-line?

ACognitive behavioural therapy focused on eatingBExposure and response preventionCLong-term classical psychoanalysisDEye movement desensitisation therapy

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Cognitive behavioural therapy focused on eating

CBT for bulimia (CBT-BN) targets dietary restraint, binge-purge cycles and overvaluation of shape and weight. It is the first-line psychological treatment, and fluoxetine may be added. Psychoanalysis and EMDR lack comparable evidence.

Option by option

A. Cognitive behavioural therapy focused on eating (correct)
Correct. Eating-focused CBT has the best evidence for reducing binge-purge episodes.
B. Exposure and response prevention
Exposure and response prevention is the technique for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
C. Long-term classical psychoanalysis
Open-ended analysis lacks comparable trial evidence in bulimia.
D. Eye movement desensitisation therapy
EMDR is a trauma-focused therapy for post-traumatic stress, not for bulimia.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is A, Cognitive behavioural therapy focused on eating. CBT for bulimia (CBT-BN) targets dietary restraint, binge-purge cycles and overvaluation of shape and weight.

Why is "Exposure and response prevention" not the answer?

Exposure and response prevention is the technique for obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Why is "Long-term classical psychoanalysis" not the answer?

Open-ended analysis lacks comparable trial evidence in bulimia.

Why is "Eye movement desensitisation therapy" not the answer?

EMDR is a trauma-focused therapy for post-traumatic stress, not for bulimia.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Eating and sleep disorders: psychological treatment of bulimia nervosa in Psychiatry. It is the first-line psychological treatment, and fluoxetine may be added. Psychoanalysis and EMDR lack comparable evidence.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Eating and sleep disorders: psychological treatment of bulimia nervosa?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.