Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a disabling eating disorder and affects as many as 2% of young women. It is a major source of psychiatric and medical morbidity that often impairs several areas of functioning. Even more alarming is the fact that BN is occurring with increasing frequency among adolescents and preadolescents. Applying stringent diagnostic criteria for BN, studies have found 2-5% of adolescent girls surveyed qualify for diagnosis of BN. Research specific to treatment of child and adolescent eating disorders remains limited. No psychological treatment has been systematically evaluated in the treatment of adolescents with BN. However, a series of studies from the Maudsley Hospital in London have shown that family therapy (the 'Maudsley Approach') is effective in the treatment of adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN). These studies have shown that involving the parents and siblings in treatment has beneficial effects on reversing the course of the eating disorder as well as improving family interaction. A preliminary report from the Maudsley group has also shown that the 'Maudsley Approach' may be helpful in the treatment of adolescents with BN. Because most young adolescents still live with their families of origin, this raises the interesting clinical question that adolescent BN patients can also be successfully treated with family therapy.