The Effectiveness of Supportive Therapy on Improving Self-Acceptance and Reducing Anxiety in Patients with Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is one of the most common yet debilitating eating disorders, characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, fasting, and laxative use. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of supportive therapy in improving self-acceptance and reducing anxiety among patients with bulimia nervosa. This quasi-experimental research employed a pretest–posttest control group design. The statistical population included all patients with bulimia nervosa who referred to psychotherapy centers in Tehran in ۲۰۲۵. From this population, ۳۰ individuals were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received eight ۹۰-minute sessions of supportive therapy, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Brennan Self-Acceptance Scale and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), administered before and after the intervention. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). The results indicated that supportive therapy significantly increased self-acceptance scores and reduced anxiety scores in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < ۰.۰۱). These findings suggest that supportive interventions can play an important role in improving the psychological well-being of patients with bulimia nervosa by fostering emotional security, enhancing self-understanding and self-acceptance, and reducing negative self-perceptions. Overall, the results highlight that supportive therapy can serve as an effective approach for improving personality and emotional components in patients with eating disorders, particularly bulimia nervosa. Future studies are recommended to investigate the long-term effects of this therapy and its integration with other psychotherapeutic interventions.

کلیدواژه ها:

Supportive Therapy ، Self-Acceptance ، Anxiety ، Bulimia Nervosa ، Eating Disorders