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Eating disorders: Management of obesity, bulimia, and anorexia nervosa
Clinrcal Psychology Revtew, Vol. 8, pp. 355-357,
Printed
1988 Copyright
in the USA. All rights reserved.
0272-7358188 $3.00 + .OO @ 1988 Pergamon Press plc
BOOK REVIEWS
Eating Disorders: Management of Obesity, Bulimia, and Anorexia Nervosa. By W. S. Agras, Pergamon Press, New York. 1987, 135 pp. $19.50 (Hardcover). The eating disorders, including obesity, bulimia, and anorexia nervosa, have been reported to have markedly increased in prevalence during the past decade, and there has been dramatic growth in the research literature pertaining to these disorders. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of practical, “how-to” information regarding the treatment of eating disorders which incorporates these recent findings in a useful manner for the practicing clinician. In this book, the author provides a clinical guide to the outpatient psychological treatment of obesity, bulimia, and anorexia nervosa. The initial chapter provides an overview of the symptomatology and prevalence of each disorder. Also, medical problems associated with each of the eating disorders are reviewed. However, this information is presented in a rather cursory fashion. This is unfortunate, especially in a book which is likely to be utilized by a significant number of non-MD therapists, who may be less likely to have in-depth knowledge regarding these biological Ph enomena. The second chapter deals with issues in the assessment of eating disorders. This chapter is also somewhat brief, and emphasizes assessment instruments which have been developed by the author’s own clinical research group at Stanford. The chapter could have been more informative had it been written with a broader perspective on assessment instruments for eating disorders, and provided comparisons among instruments. The remaining chapters discuss treatment techniques and strategies for use with each disorder. Two chapters are devoted to obesity and to bulimia, and the book concludes with a single chapter on the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Each of these chapters is excellent, and provides very comprehensive descriptions of the various treatment procedures. The steps involved in the actual implementation of relevant treatment techniques with each disorder are detailed. Also, outcome data are incorporated with the descriptions of the clinical techniques, thus providing the reader with pertinent findings regarding treatment efficacy. Finally, the role of pharmacological therapy in the treatment of each of the eating disorders is also discussed, along with a review of empirical data regarding the efficacy of pharmacological interventions. The author also attempts to tackle the difficult question of when to treat with a “psychological” intervention versus a pharmacological trial, In contrast to the “medical” aspects of the introductory chapter, the sections regarding drug interventions are quite informative and will no doubt be of significant value for the non-MD reader. The book will be an important resource for clinicians and clinical graduate 355
3.56
Book Reviews
students. I recommend it enthusiastically as a treatment guide. The reader who is unfamiliar with biological factors associated with eating disorders should supplement his/her use of this guidebook with additional materials which more thoroughly address these factors.
Psychosocial Treatment of Schizophrenia: Multidimensional Concepts, PsyFamily, and Self-Help Perspectives. Edited by J_ S. Strauss, W. Boeker, & H. D. Brenner. Hans Huber Publishers, Toronto. 1987, 221 pp. $39.00.
chological,
This volume contains 1% chapters based on papers presented at an international conference on the psychosocial treatment of schizophrenia held in Bern, Switzerland in May 1985. While many chapters are written by leading authorities in the field and contain valuable overviews ofrecent advances in psychosocial treatment, some chapters are only remotely related to this topic (e.g., Suellwold on “Instability of Cerebral Functions” and Hirsch et al. on early pharmacological intervention), and others provide general descriptions of empirical research for which important details are available only through books and journals published in German (e.g., Buchkremer and Schulze-Moenking on relatives’ and self-help groups, and Brenner on treatment of cognitive disorders). American and English readers may benefit from understanding the theoretical orientation of Swiss and German researchers, although their thirst to learn more may be limited unless they read German. Nevertheless, this book has much to offer the interested clinician or psychosocial researcher. Three excellent integrative reviews of psychosocial influences on the course of schizophrenia are provided by Wing, Zubin, and Ciompi. Two chapters by Leff and Hogarty and Anderson describe recent advances in family therapy to reduce relapse in schizophrenics. Conspicuously absent is a chapter devoted to Behavioral Family Management of schizophrenia, the most widely studied family intervention to date (Falloon, Boyd, & McGill, 1984; Falloon, et al., 1985). Two chapters by Liberman et al. and Bellack cover social skills training. Chapters by Gross, Strauss et al., Boeker, and Falloon address coping and self-control strategies in managing psychotic symptoms and recovering from a psychotic episode. Chapters by Buchkremer and Katschnig discuss the role of relatives’ support groups in the treatment of schizophrenia. The chapters concerning self-control strategies and relative support groups are especially welcome contributions since little empirical research has been conducted on these topics. Turner presents a useful chapter containing a previously unpublished multitrait-multimethod assessment of psychometric instruments used to assess impact of psychosocial treatments in schizophrenia. Finally, a closing chapter by Brenner and Boeker summarizes recent advances and makes suggestions for future research on psychosocial treatment. In summary, Psy~~~s~~~a~~ea~~~~ of Sc~i~o~~ren~ is a well-written, integrative, and informative volume on the present state-of-the-art in this field. All of the major domains of intervention are addressed, including family therapy, individual and group skills training, patient and relative support groups, and self-coping
Printed
1988 Copyright
in the USA. All rights reserved.
0272-7358188 $3.00 + .OO @ 1988 Pergamon Press plc
BOOK REVIEWS
Eating Disorders: Management of Obesity, Bulimia, and Anorexia Nervosa. By W. S. Agras, Pergamon Press, New York. 1987, 135 pp. $19.50 (Hardcover). The eating disorders, including obesity, bulimia, and anorexia nervosa, have been reported to have markedly increased in prevalence during the past decade, and there has been dramatic growth in the research literature pertaining to these disorders. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of practical, “how-to” information regarding the treatment of eating disorders which incorporates these recent findings in a useful manner for the practicing clinician. In this book, the author provides a clinical guide to the outpatient psychological treatment of obesity, bulimia, and anorexia nervosa. The initial chapter provides an overview of the symptomatology and prevalence of each disorder. Also, medical problems associated with each of the eating disorders are reviewed. However, this information is presented in a rather cursory fashion. This is unfortunate, especially in a book which is likely to be utilized by a significant number of non-MD therapists, who may be less likely to have in-depth knowledge regarding these biological Ph enomena. The second chapter deals with issues in the assessment of eating disorders. This chapter is also somewhat brief, and emphasizes assessment instruments which have been developed by the author’s own clinical research group at Stanford. The chapter could have been more informative had it been written with a broader perspective on assessment instruments for eating disorders, and provided comparisons among instruments. The remaining chapters discuss treatment techniques and strategies for use with each disorder. Two chapters are devoted to obesity and to bulimia, and the book concludes with a single chapter on the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Each of these chapters is excellent, and provides very comprehensive descriptions of the various treatment procedures. The steps involved in the actual implementation of relevant treatment techniques with each disorder are detailed. Also, outcome data are incorporated with the descriptions of the clinical techniques, thus providing the reader with pertinent findings regarding treatment efficacy. Finally, the role of pharmacological therapy in the treatment of each of the eating disorders is also discussed, along with a review of empirical data regarding the efficacy of pharmacological interventions. The author also attempts to tackle the difficult question of when to treat with a “psychological” intervention versus a pharmacological trial, In contrast to the “medical” aspects of the introductory chapter, the sections regarding drug interventions are quite informative and will no doubt be of significant value for the non-MD reader. The book will be an important resource for clinicians and clinical graduate 355
3.56
Book Reviews
students. I recommend it enthusiastically as a treatment guide. The reader who is unfamiliar with biological factors associated with eating disorders should supplement his/her use of this guidebook with additional materials which more thoroughly address these factors.
Psychosocial Treatment of Schizophrenia: Multidimensional Concepts, PsyFamily, and Self-Help Perspectives. Edited by J_ S. Strauss, W. Boeker, & H. D. Brenner. Hans Huber Publishers, Toronto. 1987, 221 pp. $39.00.
chological,
This volume contains 1% chapters based on papers presented at an international conference on the psychosocial treatment of schizophrenia held in Bern, Switzerland in May 1985. While many chapters are written by leading authorities in the field and contain valuable overviews ofrecent advances in psychosocial treatment, some chapters are only remotely related to this topic (e.g., Suellwold on “Instability of Cerebral Functions” and Hirsch et al. on early pharmacological intervention), and others provide general descriptions of empirical research for which important details are available only through books and journals published in German (e.g., Buchkremer and Schulze-Moenking on relatives’ and self-help groups, and Brenner on treatment of cognitive disorders). American and English readers may benefit from understanding the theoretical orientation of Swiss and German researchers, although their thirst to learn more may be limited unless they read German. Nevertheless, this book has much to offer the interested clinician or psychosocial researcher. Three excellent integrative reviews of psychosocial influences on the course of schizophrenia are provided by Wing, Zubin, and Ciompi. Two chapters by Leff and Hogarty and Anderson describe recent advances in family therapy to reduce relapse in schizophrenics. Conspicuously absent is a chapter devoted to Behavioral Family Management of schizophrenia, the most widely studied family intervention to date (Falloon, Boyd, & McGill, 1984; Falloon, et al., 1985). Two chapters by Liberman et al. and Bellack cover social skills training. Chapters by Gross, Strauss et al., Boeker, and Falloon address coping and self-control strategies in managing psychotic symptoms and recovering from a psychotic episode. Chapters by Buchkremer and Katschnig discuss the role of relatives’ support groups in the treatment of schizophrenia. The chapters concerning self-control strategies and relative support groups are especially welcome contributions since little empirical research has been conducted on these topics. Turner presents a useful chapter containing a previously unpublished multitrait-multimethod assessment of psychometric instruments used to assess impact of psychosocial treatments in schizophrenia. Finally, a closing chapter by Brenner and Boeker summarizes recent advances and makes suggestions for future research on psychosocial treatment. In summary, Psy~~~s~~~a~~ea~~~~ of Sc~i~o~~ren~ is a well-written, integrative, and informative volume on the present state-of-the-art in this field. All of the major domains of intervention are addressed, including family therapy, individual and group skills training, patient and relative support groups, and self-coping