Amianto Federico, Dell'Oca Giulia, Marcotulli Daniele, Davico Chiara, Martinuzzi Andrea
Neurosciences Department, University of Torino, Via Cherasco 15, 10126 Torino, Italy.
Section of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Torino, Italy.
Nutrients. 2025 Mar 24;17(7):1115. doi: 10.3390/nu17071115.
Anorexia nervosa (AN) remains a severe psychiatric disorder with multifactorial pathogenesis and an uncertain prognosis. It is essential to identify any factors that may contribute to its onset in order to improve the targeting of preventive and therapeutic interventions. The present study explores the characteristics of parents of daughters with AN, comparing those with different ages of onset and ages at intake, in order to identify potential contributing factors from the parental side. The study recruited 69 adolescents and 56 adults diagnosed with AN, along with 73 healthy controls (HC). The 80 mothers and 69 fathers of the participants were compared to controls in terms of the age of onset and age at intake of their daughters. Self-administered instruments were used to assess personality (TCI), eating behaviors (EDI-2), general psychopathology (BDI), and family functioning (FAD). The analysis revealed that several personality and psychopathological traits distinguished the parents of AN participants from the HC group in both conditions. Both mothers of adolescent- and adult-onset AN participants with any age at intake displayed greater harm avoidance and lower self-directedness facets, as well as greater inadequacy and social insecurity than controls. Fathers were less disordered and more self-indulgent and compassionate, but lower in role definition. Specifically, mothers of daughters with adolescent-onset AN and younger age at intake were more prone to depression. In contrast, mothers of daughters with an adult age at intake showed lower resourcefulness and higher levels of perceived inadequacy. Higher resourcefulness and a lower sense of ineffectiveness may help mothers facilitate earlier therapeutic intervention for their daughters. On the other hand, maternal depressive symptoms may play a significant role in the earlier onset of and intake for AN in their daughters. Supporting assertive qualities in mothers through preventive interventions is recommended, while maternal depression should be appropriately treated to prevent an early psychopathological onset in daughters.
神经性厌食症（AN）仍然是一种严重的精神疾病，其发病机制是多因素的，预后也不确定。确定任何可能导致其发病的因素对于改善预防和治疗干预的针对性至关重要。本研究探讨了患神经性厌食症女儿的父母的特征，比较了不同发病年龄和入院年龄的父母，以便从父母方面确定潜在的促成因素。该研究招募了69名被诊断患有神经性厌食症的青少年和56名成年人，以及73名健康对照者（HC）。将参与者的80位母亲和69位父亲与其女儿的发病年龄和入院年龄的对照组进行了比较。使用自我管理的工具来评估人格（TCI）、饮食行为（EDI-2）、一般精神病理学（BDI）和家庭功能（FAD）。分析表明，在这两种情况下，一些人格和精神病理学特征将神经性厌食症参与者的父母与健康对照组区分开来。在任何入院年龄的青少年期和成年期发病的神经性厌食症参与者的母亲，与对照组相比，都表现出更高的回避伤害和更低的自我导向方面，以及更大的不足感和社会不安全感。父亲的紊乱程度较低，更自我放纵和富有同情心，但角色定义较低。具体而言，女儿在青少年期发病且入院年龄较小的母亲更容易患抑郁症。相比之下，女儿入院年龄为成年人的母亲表现出较低的足智多谋和较高的不足感。更高的足智多谋和更低的无效感可能有助于母亲为女儿促成更早的治疗干预。另一方面，母亲的抑郁症状可能在女儿患神经性厌食症的更早发病和入院方面起重要作用。建议通过预防性干预来支持母亲的自信品质，同时应适当治疗母亲的抑郁症，以防止女儿出现早期精神病理学发作。
