Eating behaviour - Family systems

Question 1

Bruch (1971) - Ineffective parenting

Answer 1

interviewed mothers of 51 anorexic girls. Most reported anticipating their children’s needs rather than allowing them to act for themselves. The mothers of bulimics often reported mistaking low mood for hunger and the need to eat.

Question 2

Enmeshment

Answer 2

a condition in which two or more people, typically family members, are involved in each other’s activities and personal relationships to an excessive degree, thus limiting or precluding healthy interaction and compromising individual autonomy and identity.

Question 3

Minuchin (1978)

Answer 3

4 characteristics in families of anorexia. Enmeshment, Over-protection, Rigidity (avoids change of any sorts), Avoidance of conflict and lack of conflict resolution

Question 4

Conflicting evidence for FS - Sonne (1981)

Answer 4

compared anorexic girls [11] with groups of emotionally disturbed inpatients and outpatients at a local clinic. They found that the anorexics tended to be the least enmeshed, with very little parental intrusion. What they did find was that the girls tended to be very controlling towards their parents

Question 5

Enmeshment

Answer 5

Families are over-bearing and invasive meaning family identity is bound together – no individuality. AN

Question 6

Rigidity

Answer 6

family are inflexible – cannot adapt to change. Child’s independence cannot be accommodated for -> dysfunctional behaviour e.g. AN. ​

Question 7

Conflict avoidance

Answer 7

refusal to discuss conflict – suppression of it. Maintenance of AN.

Question 8

Autonomy and control

Answer 8

no independence – psychosomatic family == overprotective. ​

Question 9

Strauss and Ryan

Answer 9

female AN patients = greater disturbed autonomy // poorer communication with families ​

Question 10

AO3

Answer 10

S - Research support
- Practical application
W - gender bias
- reductionist
- causal issues