Group Analysis and Eating Disorders: a study of the therapeutic impact of group-analytic psychotherapy on women suffering from anorexia and bulimia nervosa
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online June, 2013
Group Analysis and Eating Disorders: a study of the therapeutic impact of group-analytic psychotherapy on women suffering from anorexia and bulimia nervosa
The therapeutic evolution of two women, one with anorexia nervosa (AN) the other with bulimia nervosa (BN), which took place for three and two years respectively in a heterogeneous once-a-week slow-open group-analytic group, was analysed. The group was conducted following modified group analysis by integrating cognitive-behavioural, psychoanalytic and object relations perspectives. Results indicated the elimination of two patients’ anorexic and bulimic episodes and a better integration of their bodily image and self due to the introjection of the group conceived as a good enough mother or selfobject mainly on its archaic and projective stages on pre-Oedipal level. However, both patients had difficulties with the group’s mature reality stage and the phase of termination on Oedipal level, linked with separation-individuation processes and mourning, and terminated early by preparing a brief farewell (BN) or by interrupting (AN). The implications for further investigation of the group analysis of eating disorders were discussed.
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