Family functioning in adolescent anorexia nervosa.

BACKGROUND

Difficulties in family functioning have been noted since early descriptions of anorexia nervosa and may be of importance aetiologically. Previous studies have a number of methodological problems.

METHOD

Thirty-five anorexic adolescents were age/sex matched with psychiatric and community controls. A diagnostic interview and a questionnaire, the Family Assessment Device (FAD) were administered to control subjects and their mothers. Anorexic families only received the McMaster Structured Interview of Family Functioning.

RESULTS

Multivariate analyses of FAD scores showed pathological ratings for psychiatric control but not anorexic families, compared with community controls. By contrast objective ratings revealed marked dysfunction in anorexic families (greater in the purging subgroup).

CONCLUSION

Family functioning in anorexic families is normal by self-report but not by an objective measure. Anorexic families in the purging subgroup appear most dysfunctional.