Causal Models Of Eating Disorders Flashcards
Eating disorder
Are persistent disturbance of eating related behaviour that results in changed consumption of food to the point in which the individual is impaired both physically and psychosocially in their functioning or health. (DSM-V)
Prevalence within population
Peak age of onset is adolescents/young adulthood
Female to male ratio = 20:1
Anorexia nervosa- 0.5-1.0% teenage girls
Bulimia nervosa- 1-2% of women aged 16-35
What is Anorexia Nervosa (AN)?
Restricts energy intakes relative to energy needs
Significantly low body weight in context of BMI (Age, sex, height), developmental trajectory and physical health
Intense fear of weight gain, becoming fat or persistant interference with weight gain
What is Bulimia?
Eating within a 2 hour period excessively larger amount than what most would
Feeling of lack of control when bingeing
Re-occuring behaviours to stop weight gain e.g. self induced vomiting , laxative misuse, medication, over-exercising or fasting
Self-evaluation influenced by body shape & weight
Bingeing & purging occur once a week for 3 months
Quality for family relationship model
Strober & Yager (1985)
Quality for family relationship model
Centripetal process- the family dynamic strongly centres around the family (excessive cohesion, lack of freedom, reduced emotional expressivity and lack of contacts outside the family)
Centrifugal process- the family dynamic is much less family centred (lack of cohesion, attachment and highly conflicted
Binger restricted-dichotomy
Schmidt, Humfress & Treasure (1997)
Minuchin, Rosman & Baker’s (1978)
initial theory that families of AN patients had the following characteristics: Enmeshment (little to no autonomy or personal boundaries), over-protectiveness, rigidity, avoidance of conflict and lack of conflict resolution.
Evidence for the quality of family relationships model
Holtom-Viesel & Allan (2014)- in a review/analysis of 17 papers it was found that overall ED families had constraining family rules & less conflict. AN families had more cohesion & lower family hierarchy than controls and sufferers lacked autonomy. BN families were less flexible.
Evidence for the quality of family relationships model
Strober & Humphrey, -BN patient’s family had the following dynamics: enmeshment, poor conflict resolution, emotional over-involvement, detachment, a lack of affection or empath
Evidence against the quality of family relationships model
Polivy and Herman (2002)- conducted a review on causes of eating disorders and looked at multiple factors. Concluded that dysfunctional family characteristics were secondary to ill family member rather than a cause
Evidence against the quality of family relationships model
Treasure, Sepulveda, MacDonald, Whitaker, Lopez, Zabala, & Todd (2008)- put forward an explanation of how these family dynamics are a consequence of the disorder rather than a cause.
Evidence against the quality of family relationships model
Eisler (2005); Kog & Vandereycken (1985)- conducted a literature review on family functioning and eating disorders and found no consistent pattern and lack of support.
