Body Exposure for Eating Disorders: Technique and Relevance for Therapy Outcome

Abstract

The main interventions in the treatment of eating disorders aim at the normalization of the potentially life threatening disordered eating behavior. During the past years, interventions for the improvement of body image have been implemented in the treatment. Body exposure is an important technique in body image therapy. Our article introduces the role of body image in eating disorders and gives an overview of current research regarding effectiveness and effects of therapeutic interventions on the different components of body image. The second part describes the therapeutic technique of body exposure. Taken together, body exposure can be viewed as a promising technique for the improvement of therapy outcomes in eating disorders.