Self-monitoring in the assessment of eating disorders

Self-monitoring is a key feature of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for eating disorders. It provides a detailed measure of eating problems and the circumstances under which they occur, but it does not yield precise estimates of amount of caloric intake; It indexes the progress of treatment and helps guide the focus of each therapy session. Adherence to self-monitoring is good provided that therapists implement it skillfully within a collaborative therapeutic alliance. Anorexia nervosa patients may pose a particular challenge La this respect. Self-monitoring may play an important role in the rapid effects of CBT for bulimia nervosa. Preliminary data indicate that self-monitoring of binge eating and purging may provide a valid measure of treatment outcome.