POSSIBLE DIFFERENCES IN FAMILY PATTERNS IN ANOREXIA-NERVOSA AND BULIMIA-NERVOSA

This paper examines the interactions in three families, one where the daughter had anorexia nervosa and two where the daughters had bulimia nervosa, and proposes some differences in the families' patterns of en meshment. It is hypothesized that these may be linked to differences i n the development of the mother-child relationship. Implications for t he choice of therapeutic strategies are discussed.