News 21

Assessment of family relations by the patients suffering from anorexia nervosa
A lot of research indicates the importance of the family context in the occurrence of Eating Disorders. Authors present results of research in families with an adolescent suffering from Anorexia Nervosa according to ICD-10. The aim of this study was to examine relationships among family members. Anorectic girls (n = 37), their sisters (n = 16) and control girls (n = 41) completed the Polish version of The Family Assessment Measure standardised on a Polish sample. The questionnaire was constructed to measure some aspects of the family life such as task accomplishment, role performance, communication including affective expression, affective involvement, control, values and norms. The study revealed some interesting differences between samples. For example, anorectic girls and their sisters generally express dissatisfaction with the relationship with their parents, particularly with fathers, contrary to the control group of girls. Anorectic girls and their sisters more critically assess functioning of the family as a whole than control group girls. Anorectic girls and their sisters express dissatisfaction with their mutual relationship, contrary to the control group.

The children of mothers with eating disorders
There is good evidence that children of parents with psychological disorders are themselves at increased risk of disturbances in their development. Although there has been considerable research on a variety of disorders such as depression and alcohol, research on the children of parents with eating disorders has been relatively recent. This paper aims to review the evidence and covers a number of areas, including genetic factors, pregnancy, the perinatal and postpartum period, infancy, and the early years of life, focusing on feeding and mealtimes, general parenting functions, and growth. This is followed by a consideration of psychopathology in the children, parental attitudes to children's weight and shape, and adolescence. What is clear is that although there are numerous case reports and case series, the number of systematic controlled studies is relatively small, and almost nothing has been written about the children of fathers with eating disorders. What is evident from the available evidence is that children of mothers with eating disorders are at increased risk of disturbance, but that the risk depends on a variety of factors, and that difficulties in the children are far from invariable. The paper concludes by summarizing five broad categories of putative mechanisms, based on the evidence to date, by which eating disturbance in parents can influence child development.

Communication patterns between fathers and daughters may contribute to or offset eating disorders
As many as 22% of young women regularly engage in eating disordered behaviors. Research indicates eating disorders are a result of a complex set of factors, including family environment. This survey research with 210 undergraduate women at 2 universities tests the possibility that father-daughter communication and conflict resolution are related to eating disordered behaviors. Results indicate skilled conflict resolution and open communication between father and daughter may offset eating disorders. A lack of those skills or attempting to resolve conflict in ways that do not offer long-term resolution for both father and daughter can lead to increased eating disordered behaviors. Implications are discussed.

Eating disorders during adolescence and the risk for physical and mental disorders during early adulthood
Data from a community-based longitudinal investigation were used to investigate whether adolescents with eating disorders are at an elevated risk for physical and mental disorders during early adulthood. METHODS: Psychosocial and psychiatric interviews were administered to a representative community sample of 717 adolescents and their mothers from 2 counties in the state of New York in 1983, 1985 to 1986, and 1991 to 1993. In 1983, the mean age of the youths was 13.8 years. RESULTS: Adolescents with eating disorders were at a substantially elevated risk for anxiety disorders, cardiovascular symptoms, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, depressive disorders, limitations in activities due to poor health, infectious diseases, insomnia, neurological symptoms, and suicide attempts during early adulthood after age, sex, socioeconomic status, co-occurring psychiatric disorders, adolescent health problems, body mass index, and worries about health during adulthood were controlled statistically. Problems with eating or weight during adolescence predicted poor health outcomes during adulthood, regardless of whether an eating disorder had been present. Only 22% of the adolescents with current eating disorders had received psychiatric treatment within the past year. CONCLUSION: Eating disorders during adolescence may be associated with an elevated risk for a broad range of physical and mental health problems during early adulthood.