Premium
Family functioning in anorexia nervosa differs by subtype
Author(s) -
Casper Regina C.,
Troiani Maryann
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.1093
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , denial , psychology , personality , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , bulimia nervosa , psychiatry , eating disorders , psychotherapist , social psychology
Objective This study investigated family functioning in adolescents with the restricting and bulimic type of anorexia nervosa (AN) and in healthy controls. Method Fifty‐one parents and their children (17 with AN and 34 healthy adolescents) completed the Family Assessment Measure, a self‐report instrument that provides information about the functional strengths and weaknesses of the family and each family member. Results AN patients with the bulimic subtype and their mothers were significantly more likely to perceive family functioning as impaired than were healthy adolescents or restricting AN patients. Restricting AN patients and their families did not differ from healthy control families. Conclusion The results suggest that the problems faced by bulimic patients color their and their parents' view of each other and the family. Symptomatic and personality differences between the subtypes of AN with better control, fewer symptoms, and denial of conflict characterizing restricting AN families may be reflected in family interaction styles. © 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 30: 338–342, 2001.