Aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of our rehabilitative multidimensional program, which includes psychoeducational groups about sexuality, on the attitudes towards sexuality and their body of ED patients.

86 female patients was consecutively admitted to attend the program in an inpatient setting (11: 7 AN; 4 BN) or in a day-hospital setting (75: 34 AN; 41 BN). They were studied at the beginning and at the end of the treatment.

Clinical characteristics at the first assessment: 1) 86 ED patients, 41 AN, 45 BN according to DSM-IV; 2) mean age: AN 22.63±6.02 years, BN 23.87±5.01 years); 3) 26 AN and 21 BN were single, while 15 anorexics and 24 bulimics went steady with someone; 4) mean BMI was 18.37±4.34 kg/m2 (AN 15.39±1.79 kg/m2, BN 21.09±4.2 kg/m2). The assessment instruments were: SCL-90, EDI-2, SESAMO.

At the end of the treatment we achieved the improvement of weight (mean BMI 20.75±3.3 kg/m2; AN 18.9±0.97 kg/m2, BN 22.48±3.75 kg/m2) and eating behaviours and a significant number of patients menstruated spontaneously (43.9% of the anorexics and 95.56% of the bulimics). We also found a significant improvement in the SCL-90 and EDI-2 subscales, both in the AN and in the BN subjects. As far as SESAMO, we noted in the whole sample the normalization of the subscale pertaining to the way in which the body is experienced and the improvement of the Desire subscale.

Our findings suggests the need for adding a specific intervention on sexuality in the treatment of ED.