FAMILY FUNCTIONING IN ADOLESCENT ANOREXIA-NERVOSA

Background. Difficulties in family functioning have been noted since e arly descriptions of anorexia nervosa and may be of importance aetiolo gically. Previous studies have a number of methodological problems. Me thod. Thirty-five anorexic adolescents were age/sex matched with psych iatric and community controls. A diagnostic interview and a questionna ire, the Family Assessment Device (FAD) were administered to control s ubjects and their mothers. Anorexic families only received the McMaste r Structured interview of Family Functioning. Results. Multivariate an alyses of FAD scores showed pathological ratings for psychiatric contr ol but not anorexic families, compared with community controls. By con trast objective ratings revealed marked dysfunction in anorexic famili es (greater in the purging Subgroup). Conclusion. Family functioning i n anorexic families is normal by self-report but not by an objective m easure. Anorexic families in the purging subgroup appear most dysfunct ional.