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Our knowledge of eating disorders has been derived from two parallel lines of investigation: (1) large scale epidemiologic or demographic studies that report rates of incidence, manifest symptoms, and course of illness and (2) descriptions of small numbers of individuals who are being treated psychotherapeutically with a focus on significant historical events, pertinent psychodynamics, and response to treatment. Each of these approaches has enriched greatly the understanding of these disorders but each has also been pursued independently, with relatively little integration or cross fertilization.
The following series of research reports attempts to combine these separate yet fertile areas of investigation. The goal has been to accrue a sample of sufficient size so as to make valid generalizations while not sacrificing the intimate knowledge that can only be derived by treating such a patient intensively over an extended period of time. This goal might be realized partially, if not totally, by assessing the experience with the intensive psychotherapy of eating-disordered patients by a large group of trained therapists. The information supplied by this group could not be obtained easily by rapidly administered rating scales or a single structured interview with a patient. The research group has sought to consider crucial questions that can be answered only after prolonged contact with an eating-disordered patient and, possibly, to obtain information not readily available to the patient's conscious recall.