TOO CLOSE OR TOO SEPARATE - FAMILY FUNCTION IN FAMILIES WITH AN ANOREXIA-NERVOSA PATIENT IN 2 NORDIC COUNTRIES

Previous research has shown that families with an anorexia nervosa pat ient are not a homogenous group. The purpose of this study was to see in what way these families differ from each other. Forty-nine families with a child suffering; from anorexia nervosa were examined. They wer e rated by independent observers who, on the basis of a videotaped fam ily task, evaluated family interaction using Beavers-Timberlawn's rati ng schedule. Family members completed the self-report questionnaires F amily Climate, FARS and SCL-90. The subscale family style from the Bea vers-Timberlawn schedule was found to provide a meaningful description of families with an anorexia nervosa patient. According to this subsc ale, anorexia nervosa families fall into three groups: centripetal, ce ntrifugal and balanced. The centrifugal group differed from the two ot her groups in that the patients expressed more psychopathology and fam ily dysfunction. This group of families probably requires a special fo rm of treatment.