Project

Bulimia Nervosa: A test of the cognitive model.

The central aim of my research is to investigate the cognitive model of bulimia nervosa developed by Cooper, Wells and Todd (2004). This will involve three studies. The aim of the first study is to provide a cross-sectional test of the model in an undergraduate population. The aim of the second study is to provide a longitudinal test of the model in a clinical population. The third study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a guided self-help treatment program for bulimia nervosa based on this model. This will involve directly comparing three different types of guided self-help, namely, cognitive, behavioural and cognitive behavioural, in order to examine which is most effective in reducing bulimic psychopathology in people with bulimia nervosa.

Additional Research Interests

I am currently employed by Professor Wade as a research therapist treating individuals with Anorexia Nervosa on an outpatient basis.

• Anorexia Nervosa An investigation of outpatient treatments.

From 2001-2004, I was employed by Associate Professor Wade as a research assistant working on a NHMRC funded project investigating how interactions between genes and specific environmental risk factors cause eating disorders in women. In 2004 I was also employed by Associate Professor Wade and Dr Reg Nixon to assist with the co-ordination and evaluation of treatment outcome studies in the areas of eating disorders, breast cancer, cardiac arrest and trauma.

Supervisor

Selected Publications

Pritchard, B. J., Bergin, J. L., & Wade, T. D. (2004). A case series evaluation of guided self-help for bulimia nervosa using a cognitive manual. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 36, 144-156.

Wade, T. D., Bergin, J. L., Martin, N. G., Gillespie, N. A., & Fairburn, C. G. (2006). A transdiagnostic approach to understanding eating disorders. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 194, 510-517.

Wade, T. D., Bergin, J. L., Tiggemann, M., Bulik, C. M., & Fairburn, C. G. (2006) Prevalence and long-term course of lifetime eating disorders in an adult Australian twin cohort. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 40, 121-128.

Conference Presentations

Bergin, J. L., & Wade, T. D. (2005, August). Developing an understanding of maintenance and change in anorexia nervosa.3rd Australian and New Zealand Academy of Eating Disorders Conference, Sydney, Australia.

Bergin, J. L., & Wade, T. D. (2006, June). Understanding persistence in anorexia nervosa: an investigation of motivational issues. Academy for Eating Disorders: International Conference on Eating Disorders, Barcelona, Spain.

Bergin, J. L., & Wade, T. D. (2006, September). The cognitive model of bulimia nervosa: a direct evaluation. Eating Disorders Research Society, Port Douglas, Australia.

Wade, T. D., Bergin, J. L., Martin, N. G., Gillespie, N. A., & Fairburn, C. G. (2004, October). A transdiagnostic approach to understanding eating disorders. Eating Disorders Research Society, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Wade, T. D., Pritchard, B. J., & Bergin, J. L. (2004, May). A case series evaluation of guided self-help for bulimia nervosa using a cognitive manual. Academy for Eating Disorders: International Conference on Eating Disorders, Florida, USA.

Contact Details

School of Psychology
Flinders University of South Australia
GPO Box 2100
Adelaide, South Australia 5001

Office: 347 Social Sciences North
Phone: (+61 8) 8201 2565
Fax: (+61 8) 8201 3877
Email: jacqueline.bergin@flinders.edu.au