Eating behaviour - AN - FST Explanation

Question 1

how many people suffer with anorexia nervosa?

Answer 1

0.3-1.2%

Question 2

what are the symptoms of AN?

Answer 2

refusal to eat, distorted body image, self-disgust, food-related anxiety

Question 3

what characteristics make up an ‘anorexic’ family?

Answer 3

enmeshment
rigidity
conflict avoidance
overprotectiveness

Question 4

who devised the family systems theory explanation of anorexia and when?

Answer 4

minuchin 1978

Question 5

what is enmeshment?

Answer 5

• anorexic families are overly involved with each other
• poorly defined roles
• lack of alone time and privacy
• self identities of families become entangled

Question 6

what are the challenges for daughters in emeshed families?

Answer 6

struggles to insert independence and differentiating her identity from everyone, especially her mother.

Question 7

describe overprotectiveness in anorexic families

Answer 7

• constantly trying to protect each other from external threats
• nurture each other obsessively so there’s no room for independence

Question 8

describe rigidity in an anorexic family?

Answer 8

-inflexible interactions
- members deny the need for change
- cant adapt to knew things

Question 9

how can rigidity explain the development of anorexia?

Answer 9

• the daughter cannot be independent and do her own things
• the mother moves to squash the daughters attempt at self-differentiation
• this means she seeks control in her eating and trys to break the rigidty by changing her eating habbits (not eating)

Question 10

describe conflict avoidance

Answer 10

• avoid arguments and conflict
• suppress arguments if they occur
  -issues will not be resolved and continue to fester

Question 11

how does conflict avoidance aid the development of anorexia

Answer 11

the daughter continues to not eat as the family refuses to accept there is a problem to discuss

Question 12

describe the role of autonomy and control in the development of anorexia

Answer 12

• daughter struggles to gain control she desires in the anorexic family
• this leads to confusion in the daughter because she is not given the autonomy and control she needs
• so she starves herself, subconsciously

Question 13

why does the daughter starve herself according to FST

Answer 13

• its an attempt to separate herself from the family and become her own person
• she has a new sense of control in her body
• weight loss is a visible measure of success
• she also gets to distance from her mother by disrupting the relationship

Question 14

STRENGTH OF FST

Answer 14

+ research support from Strauss and Ryan who found that female AN patients demonstrated greater disturbances of autonomy. Greater need to control their own behaviour and struggled to differentiate themselves from their family. Shows a desire for autonomy and that when it is prevented this is a risk factor.
- practical applications - behavioral family systems therapy which attempts to entangle the family circle - provides a method for people to be treated- useful

Question 15

weaknesses of FST

Answer 15

• gender and age bias- it only accounts for AN that is found in females and young people. so the explanation is incomplete. Not helpful for men and older people.
• only suggests correlations we cannot be sure its the cause - limits PA
• ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS

Question 16

what is the behaviour of the mother in FST?

Answer 16

domineering, intrusive and doesn’t accept daughters need for separation

Question 17

in what ways is the daughters confusion expressed?

Answer 17

• distorted body image
• inability to feel internal body states such as hunger
• feelings of loss of control

Question 18

what did strauss and ryan find?

Answer 18

found that female AN patients demonstrated greater disturbances of autonomy. Greater need to control their own behaviour and struggled to differentiate themselves from their family. Shows a desire for autonomy and that when it is prevented this is a risk factor.

Question 19

overall what is FST?

Answer 19

• AN develops due to dysfunctional interactions between family members and a need for control and autonomit from the daughter

Question 20

a01 summary

Answer 20

1. minuchin 1978 - dysfunctional famalies
2. enmenshment - why lead to anorexia
3. rigidty - why lead to anorexia
4. over portectiveness - why lead to anoerxia
5. conflict avoidance - why cause anorexia
6. role of the mother
7. the need for control and autonomy