D.Litt. et Phil. / Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder that has stimulated considerable research efforts in recent years. The increasing prevalence of bulimia nervosa has been partially attributed to the prevailing sociocultural notion that thinness embodies the essence of beauty, success and personal achievement. This has led to greater deinands for more efficacious treatment approaches by clinicians because of the rigid and intractable nature of the disorder. Bulimia nervosa is characterized by dysfunctional cognitions and cognitive styles where weight is inappropriately central to self-worth. Bulimic individuals are extremely negative in their views of themselves. Their self-image is intricately related to their body weight and shape. This poor body image is responsible for the development of depression and the depressive symptoms further exacerbate negative cognitions. Distorted cognitions and negative mood thus play a critical role in the initiation and maintenance of bulimia nervosa. The understanding and treatment of bulimia nervosa is largely centered around the presence of dysfunctional cognitions. These cognitions encompass beliefs about food, body weight and shape that manifest in a desperate pursuit for thinness at any cost. Thoughts and emotions regarding the drive for thinness predominate and often compromise the individuals' global functioning thus leading them to seek treatment. There are numerous treatment approaches available to the bulimic sufferer but cognitive behavioural therapy remains the treatment of choice according to the literature.

M.A. / In this project the researcher explores, analyses and interprets the narratives of seven women who have recovered from anorexia and/or bulimia. The investigation is conveyed from the sufferers' point of view, an approach suggestive of a qualitative inquiry, and is formulated within a qualitative theoretical and methodological framework. Linear approaches like the medical model, that endorse a pathological view of mental and emotional problems, are challenged for contributing to the notion of a defect model of mental illness. The dominant view that psychological and emotional problems like physical illnesses should be treated and eradicated, is contextualised within the framework of a defect model of mental illness. The researcher proposes that this position disempowers the recipients of therapy, can become a self fulfilling prophecy, and ultimately furthers the argument that emotionally disturbed people are sick. Concepts from systems theory such as homeostasis and dialectic thinking, are cited to illustrate the rationale behind the notion of a `competency' model of mental illness. The continuance of either anorexic or bulimic behavior is seen as playing a central role in the maintenance of an equilibrium (albeit a painful one) in the sufferer's personal and family system - thus serving a purpose. The researcher subsequently proposes that it can be beneficial to view an eating disorder as a milestone, where from much good can be derived.