Perceived family cohesion, adaptability and communication in eating disorders

Abstract

Objective: We investigated the differences in perceived family cohesion, flexibility and communication in female patients with eating disorders and their mothers. Method: Seventy-six patients with eating disorders, 29 mothers, 50 matched controls with their mothers and 79 medical students completed the FACES II and the Parent-Adolescent Communication Form. Results: The patients perceived that their families were less cohesive and less flexible and that communication with their mothers was impaired. The patients' family perception differed by subtype of anorexia nervosa. The perception of restrictive anorectic patients did not differ from that of the control groups. Patients' mothers reported less cohesion and flexibility with impaired mother-daughter communication in comparison with the mothers of healthy females. Daughters were more critical towards their families than mothers. Conclusion: The results confirmed significant differences between subtypes of anorexia nervosa and similarities between the bulimic form of anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Conflict avoidance and denial in restrictive anorexia nervosa patients may have caused their favourable perception of family cohesion and communication.

The relationship between dysfunctional family patterns and symptom severity among adolescent patients with eating disorders: A gender-specific approach

“…The results of this research support a multi-determined and contextual view of EDs (Eisler, et al, 1997;Vidović, et al, 2005) because it takes into consideration, both theoretically and methodologically, whether family functioning precedes, maintains or comes as a consequence of the ED.…”

“…Regardless, some theoretical models and data have led to the assumption that impaired family structure and functioning can play an important part in the etiology and maintenance of the ED (Bonne, et al, 2003;Cook-Darzens, et al, 2005). Studies following this model have shown that families of patients with an ED generally tend to be less cohesive, more 5 overprotective, more rigid and to have poorer communication than healthy control families (Eisler, 2005;Szabo, Goldin, & Le Grange, 1999;Vidović, et al, 2005). Regarding gender differences, some studies gave shown that in comparison to fathers, mothers of patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) view their families to be more rigid, whereas fathers seem to be as more satisfied with their family life than other family members (Cook-Darzens, et al, 2005).…”

“…However, more recent research has supported a more multi-determined and contextual view of psychosomatic processes (Eisler, 2005;Eisler et al, 1997;Vidović, Jureša, Begovac, Mahnik, & Tocil, 2005). These models consider the quality of family functioning to be a factor preceding the onset of EDs, possibly playing a role in bringing about the disorder, or serving as a risk factor in the course and outcome of the disorder (North, Gowers, & Byram, 1997;Strober, Freeman, & Morrell, 1997), rather than merely being a consequence of the disease.…”

Orta okul öğrencilerinde aile ortamı, yeme tutumu ve obezite durumları arasındaki ilişki

“…The research findings show that the low level of loyalty within the family (Ackard and NeumarkSztainer, 2001) and high level of conflict is related to the abnormal eating behavior (Stern et al, 1989;Vidovic et al, 2005). Felker and Stive (1994) indicate, as a result of their research that they carried out on 393 adolescent students, that the low level of loyalty within the family and high level of control is a risk for abnormal eating disorder.…”

Trastornos Alimentarios y Funcionamiento Familiar Percibido en una Muestra de Estudiantes Secundarias de la Comuna de Concepción, Chile

“…Uno de los autores más infl uyentes de tal teoría, Salvador Minuchin, desarrolló un modelo estructural familiar (Minuchin et al, 1978citado en Carrasco, 2004Cook-Darzens et al, 2005;Vidovic, Juresa, Begovac, Mahnik, & Tocilj, 2005) que identifi caba cinco características predominantes de interacciones que mantienen la "somatización": (a) aglutinamiento, una extrema forma de proximidad e intensidad en las interacciones familiares; (b) sobreprotección, refl ejado en el alto grado de preocupación que los miembros de la familia tienen del bienestar de los otros; (c) rigidez, caracterizado por una necesidad de mantener el status quo; (d) evitación de confl icto; (e) involucración de la hija en los confl ictos parentales (maritales) a través de triangulación.…”