The Role of Family Relationships in Eating Disorders in Adolescents: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Background: Adolescents’ eating disorders have been explored through various conceptual and empirical models. Only recently, scientific literature in this area has more specifically investigated the role of relationships, with particular attention to family functioning. Objective: This paper reviews family relationships aspects of eating disorders in adolescence. Methods: A narrative literature review of relational issues in adolescents’ eating disorders was performed. Results: Empirical evidence of family relationships in adolescents’ eating disorders confirms the relevance of relational aspects in the development and maintenance of the pathology. In particular, the contribution of the relational-systemic approach is wide, suggesting the need to refer to the family context for a better understanding of adolescents’ sufferance. Additionally, the empirical contributions from the conceptual model of Developmental Psychopathology, highlighting the importance of risk and protection factors in family relationships, provides knowledge about the phenomenon of adolescents’ eating disorders in terms of complexity. Conclusions: An integrated relational model aimed to explore adolescents’ eating disorders is worthy of investigation to accomplish specific program of intervention.

Parental feeding practices and the relationship with parents in female adolescents and young adults with eating disorders: A case control study

“…ED mainly affect females and exhibit a significant increase of incidence during adolescence [ 2 ]. Lifetime prevalence of AN and BN for females is reported to be 2.9% (0.1% among males of the same age brackets) [ 3 ].…”

“…Pubertal development, with its physical changes, often precedes or accompanies adolescence and early maturing girls are reported to be at special risk from disordered eating [ 7 ]. Adolescence involves several major developmental tasks such as adapting to physical changes, creating one's own identity, defining goals for the future or learning self-regulation of emotions which present stressful situations for young girls [ 2 ].…”

“…Since adolescence represents a period of the life cycle characterised by progressive independence from parents and family members, it may be particularly valuable to examine the extent to which family factors influence the behavioural and emotional wellbeing of the adolescents and consequently to the risk of developing an ED [ 2 ]. Subjectively perceived stressors in the parental relationship are hypothesized to increase the risk for psychosocial maladaptation and the occurrence of EDs [ 9 ].…”

Neurobiological and Psychological Maintenance Mechanisms Associated with Anticipatory Reward in Bulimia Nervosa

“…Current research suggests that BN results from a complex combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental contributors including adverse life events and sociocultural influences, along with predisposing, precipitating, and maintaining factors [ 2 ]. Longitudinal data indicate that weight and shape concerns, the internalization of the thin ideal, dieting, and body dissatisfaction among youth are predictive of BN behaviors [ 7 ], as well as relational and familial factors [ 8 ]. Adverse life events including trauma are also associated with BN [ 9 ].…”

Qualitative assessment of transcultural psychotherapy by adolescents and their migrant families: Subjective experience and perceived effectiveness

“…The definition of adolescence as 10–24 years of age is widely used but continues to be shaped by culture and context [ 5 , 6 ]. This phase of life represents a relevant developmental stage during which important changes in social, behavioral, and emotional-motivational functioning occur [ 7 , 8 ]. For these characteristics, researchers indicate adolescence as a developmental phase at risk for the onset of mental disorders such as mood disorders, eating disorders or psychosis [ 9 , 10 ] but compliance with mental health treatments among adolescents is recognized to be poor [ 11 ].…”