Family functioning and life events in the outcome of adolescent anorexia nervosa.

BACKGROUND

This study investigates the outcome of anorexia nervosa in adolescents in relation to precipitating life events and changes in family functioning over time.

METHOD

Thirty-five adolescents with anorexia nervosa and their mothers were administered measures of life events and family functioning at initial assessment and 1 and 2 year follow-up, when outcome was also assessed.

RESULTS

Fifty-five per cent of patients had a good outcome. Patients from initially well-functioning families or those with precipitating life events improved more in the first year, than those with dysfunctional families or without events. Subjects perceived a deterioration in family functioning at 1 year follow-up but an improvement at 2 years. Mothers reported no changes.

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately half of a series of early onset cases of anorexia nervosa can be expected to recover by 2 years. Healthy family functioning and presence of a precipitating life event predict good short-term outcome. The relationships between subjects' perceptions of family functioning and their recovery from anorexia nervosa is discussed.