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Anorexia nervosa and parental bonding: the contribution of parent–grandparent relationships to eating disorder psychopathology
Author(s) -
Canetti Laura,
Kanyas Kyra,
Lerer Bernard,
Latzer Yael,
Bachar Eytan
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.20482
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , psychology , psychopathology , grandparent , clinical psychology , eating disorders , psychiatry , developmental psychology
The present study adopted an intergenerational approach in examining the association between parental bonding and anorexia nervosa. Forty‐three anorexic participants and 33 nonclinical comparison participants completed eating disorder questionnaires and the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). The participant's parents also completed the PBI. The anorexic participants perceived both parents as less caring and fathers as more controlling than nonclinical participants. Among anorexic participants, mother control and father care were associated with symptom severity. Intergenerational effects were present. Among anorexic participants, maternal grandmother care was associated with eating disorder psychopathology. The present findings suggest that parental characteristics of grandparents might play a role in the development of eating disorders in granddaughters. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 64: 703–716, 2008.