“We Thought We Were Alone”: The Subjective Experience of the Siblings of Anorexic Adolescent Patients

Persico, Angelo; Grandclerc, Salomé; Giraud, Catherine; Moro, Marie Rose; Blanchet, Corinne

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.664517

Cited by 4 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 50 publications

(55 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Communication between siblings and their SED becomes more limited and restricted (Areemit et al., 2010). Siblings become cautious about what topics can be spoken about (Persico et al., 2021) in order to reduce conflict (Karlstad et al., 2021) as some topics become off limits (Grunwald, 2014). Siblings may be more sensitive to language related to body shape and size and feel angry when people use words like “fat” and “diet” (Areemit et al., 2010, p. 571).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Siblings struggled to voice their experiences and communicate their feelings (Moses, 2013; Persico et al., 2021). Siblings fear sharing their experiences with others as it is often perceived negatively by the family unit, including their SED (Moses, 2013).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…-"Hearing and being heard"; "Difficult talk"; "Life goes on" -"Separate lives"; "It's my life, it's now or never" (p. 43). (Persico et al, 2021) Qualitative "AN explained by siblings" (p. 5) -"It is like imprisonment" (p. 5); "There is a need to self-harm" (p. 5); "It never gets completely better" (p. 5); "The siblings' individual emotional experiences" (p. 5) -"We do not understand why" (p. 5); "We are powerless" (p. 5); "We feel angry" (p. 5); "The siblings' family experiences" (p. 5) -"It is hard for the parents" (p. such as, "devastation", chaos, and stress (Quish, 2010, p. 35). Siblings spoke of the "warzone" the ED causes, likening it to extreme conflict and ruin (Varnell, 2014, p. 66).…”

Section: Authorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

The experiences of having a sibling with an eating disorder: A systematic review of the literature

Heneghan,

Manitsa,

Livanou

et al. 2023

Euro Eating Disorders Rev

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ObjectiveResearch on carers in the context of eating disorders (EDs) has predominantly focused on parents and offspring, overlooking the adverse effects EDs have on the lives of siblings. This study aims to shift the paradigm by reviewing the literature in this area. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first review of the literature that broadly captured the lived experiences of siblings without being limited by specific search terms such as coping strategies and levels of psychopathology.MethodSix databases (ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched using predetermined search strings. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies were included as long as they were focused on siblings' experiences of having a brother or sister with an ED. No publication date restrictions were applied, and thorough quality assessments were initially carried out before a qualitative analysis of the data was conducted.ResultsTwenty‐one studies were eligible for inclusion, thematic synthesis yielded six core themes, and 17 subthemes related to the inter‐ and intrapersonal impacts of the ED on siblings' lives. These themes and sub‐themes include fragmentation in family relationships, parentification, and competition and jealousy.ConclusionIt is of utmost importance to gain a better understanding of siblings' experiences and needs in relation to EDs. The findings are discussed in relation to the existing literature and theoretical and clinical implications, for example, tailored approaches accounting for siblings' experiences.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Authorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The experiences of having a sibling with an eating disorder: A systematic review of the literature

Heneghan,

Manitsa,

Livanou

et al. 2023

Euro Eating Disorders Rev

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A third study [32] reported how healthy sisters (n = 21) of women with ED may also evince more difficulties and avoidance in the recognition of their own emotions as compared to non-related controls, through both self-report and experimental task based on picture of faces. Further recent studies proposed additional qualitative reports of distress in this population [33,34].…”

Section: Psychological Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 87%

Parental-Bonding and Alexithymia in Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa, Their Parents, and Siblings

Mannarini

Kleinbub

2022

Behavioral Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Anorexia nervosa (AN) patients and their family-members share alexithymia, anxiety, depression, and other psychological symptoms, in the context of altered attachment. These domains have been individually studied in the context of eating disorders; few attempts have been made to study their interaction, especially including family members. In this study, alexithymia, parental-bonding, and psychopathology were assessed in 32 Italian families consisting of an adolescent AN patient, a sibling, and their parents. We aimed to (a) describe a sample of Italian families with a child affected by AN, notably including siblings; (b) investigate interactions between assessed constructs in patients and their siblings; and (c) investigate possible intergenerational effects. Results showed high alexithymia and psychopathological symptoms in patients but not in siblings, although the latter reported high obsession–compulsion and paranoid ideation scores. Patients’ and siblings’ alexithymia correlated with psychopathology. Parents reported generally low alexithymia. Perceived parental bonding was found to be suboptimal in most participants, yet no clear relationship was found between specific parenting styles and other measured traits, nor did we find any other relevant intergenerational effect. Anorexia nervosa implies psychological difficulties for all family members. Siblings’ psychopathological traits are especially concerning and currently understudied. Implications for future research and clinical interventions are discussed.

show abstract

“…Finally, research into the efficacy of preventative interventions for siblings of people with AN would be valuable. Some evidence suggests that a support group for siblings of people with AN may be helpful but is it unclear whether this is protective against the development of eating disorder pathology [ 64 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiences of eating difficulties in siblings of people with anorexia nervosa: a reflexive thematic analysis

2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Siblings of people with anorexia nervosa (AN) have been found to experience strong emotions, changing family roles and poorer wellbeing as a consequence of experiencing the effects of the illness on their sibling and family system. These factors, combined with genetic influences, may put siblings at an increased risk of developing eating disorder psychopathology in addition to other mental health issues. This research aims to explore the experiences of siblings of people with AN who have had eating difficulties themselves and investigate issues that may be important to the development and prevention of eating difficulties in this population. Methods This qualitative study used a reflexive thematic analysis approach. Ten adults who had witnessed a sibling with AN and experienced eating difficulties themselves participated in semi-structured interviews. Analysis Participants’ own eating difficulties were affected by the specific experience of witnessing a sibling with AN through mealtimes becoming emotionally charged, an increased focus on body size and diet, and comparisons with their sibling. Difficult experiences, such as marital discord amongst parents were common, as was a difficulty in managing emotions. The onset of AN within the family caused participants to take on caring responsibilities for their sibling and to hide their own difficulties for fear of adding additional burden to their parents. This reduced their perceived ability to access support and for some increased a desire to restrict as a coping mechanism for the stress they were experiencing. Systemic beliefs regarding the value of thinness were prevalent and influential. Protective factors, such as not wanting to become as unwell as a sibling with AN and an understanding of the negative consequences of AN, aided recovery. Conclusions Eating difficulties in siblings of people with AN may be influenced by competition for slimness, increased focus on diet and body size, and a need to manage difficult emotions. The disruption to social connections and a difficulty finding emotional support that may be experienced by people when a sibling develops AN may further influence susceptibility to eating difficulties. Further research is needed into the best ways to support siblings of people with AN.

show abstract

“We Thought We Were Alone”: The Subjective Experience of the Siblings of Anorexic Adolescent Patients

Cited by 4 publications

References 50 publications

The experiences of having a sibling with an eating disorder: A systematic review of the literature

The experiences of having a sibling with an eating disorder: A systematic review of the literature

Parental-Bonding and Alexithymia in Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa, Their Parents, and Siblings

Experiences of eating difficulties in siblings of people with anorexia nervosa: a reflexive thematic analysis

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About