This study presents a qualitative analysis of relapse experiences of 26 women with bulimia nervosa who were recruited from Overeaters Anonymous. Using focus groups and individual interviews, participants reported conditions that activated binge eating and/or purging as triggers and described their attempts to manage triggers as an intense effort to arbitrate between high-risk circumstances and their capacity to avoid binging and purging. Responses revealed two broad categories of triggers: (1) internal emotional states and (2) interpersonal relationships. Sixty-one percent of the triggers were related to internal emotional states, whereas dealing with interpersonal relationships accounted for 39%.

This study presents a qualitative analysis of the role of the self-help group Overeaters Anonymous (OA) in the treatment experiences of women with bulimia nervosa. It specifies how various elements of OA facilitate or maintain recovery. Using focus groups and individual interviews, data were collected from 26 women who met the criteria for bulimia nervosa. Data analysis revealed that those participants used five OA skills or strategies. These included: (1) OA meeting attendance and participation, (2) interaction with a sponsor, (3) processing (i.e., writing and journaling), (4) spirituality (i.e., prayer and meditation), and (5) adherence to a food plan.

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