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In defence of the concept of phobically driven avoidance of adult body weight/shape/function as the final common pathway to anorexia nervosa
Author(s) -
Crisp Arthur
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
european eating disorders review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.511
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1099-0968
pISSN - 1072-4133
DOI - 10.1002/erv.706
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , eating disorders , psychology , psychopathology , mechanism (biology) , function (biology) , anorexia , association (psychology) , psychotherapist , developmental psychology , psychiatry , medicine , biology , genetics , epistemology , philosophy
The author defends his view that a phobically‐driven biologically‐based avoidance mechanism, rooted in the selective impact of calorie starvation on the pubertal/reproductive process, lies at the root of the disorder we call ‘anorexia nervosa’. Its intensity, coupled with the underlying maturational challenge driving the phobia, governs the natural history of the condition and its prognosis in the individual case. This psychopathology, often vigorously denied in the first instance, once recognized, invites a multidimensional approach to diagnosis and a corresponding specifically developed treatment package which is significantly often effective. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.