Family therapy for adolescent anorexia nervosa

Successful treatment of anorexia nervosa remains elusive for many cases. In volving the family in the treatment of adolescents with anorexia nervosa ha s proved to be of benefit for young clients with a short duration of illnes s. In fact, the benefits of family therapy have been shown to be enduring a t five-year follow-up. Engaging in treatment and commitment to therapy are important factors affecting treatment outcome. For instance, parental criti cism of the anorexic offspring can lead to early dropout of treatment or po or outcome in treatment. The case presented in this article demonstrates ho w the family's help can be solicited in restoring the adolescent's health i n much the same way had the client been admitted to a specialist inpatient facility. Although the treatment in this case was relatively uncomplicated and brief, the family had:to overcome their initial exasperation with the c lient's self-starvation in order to be helpful in the process of the adoles cent's weight restoration. When this initial stumbling block was resolved, in part by the therapist's modeling of an uncritical stance toward the clie nt's dilemma, the family was successful in nurturing their daughter back to health. Once the client's weight was restored, and the adolescent reintegr ated with her peer group, she could negotiate her continued individuation f rom her parents, but without the eating disorder to cloud their relationshi p. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.