Introduction to Evidence-Based Psychological Approaches in the Treatment of Eating Disorders: What Is the Evidence in Evidence-Based Practice?

There has been considerable growth in the evidence base for eating disorder treatments over the last 40 years. The chapters in this section provide an overview of several key psychological interventions for eating disorders across the life span. It is clear from the chapters included in this section that we now have multiple effective treatments that have helped many people worldwide. Rather than repeating the specific evidence for the efficacy of each of the empirically supported treatment here, this chapter provides an overview of what constitutes the broader evidence base and places it in context. Outcome measurement, common and specific treatment factors, real world versus clinical trial outcomes, and dissemination are each explored.