Family relations in bulimic-anorexic and nondistressed families

Abstract

The present study compared patterns of family relations in 16 bulimic-anorexic and 24 nondistressed family triads. Father, mother, and teenage daughter completed the Family Environment Scale (FES) and the Family Adaptibility and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES), independently. Both scales were factor analyzed and found to consist of 8 orthogonal factors. Findings from fathers, mothers, and daughters converged, and revealed that families of bulimic-anorexics were less involved and supportive, and more isolated, conflictual, understructured, and detached than were the nonproblem controls. These results were discussed as consistent with clinical observations and prior research on the potential contribution of family disturbance to eating disorders.