ANOREXIA IN EARLY AGE AND IN ADOLESCENCE - SOME POSSIBLE COMMON ELEMENTS

Based on their clinical experience, the authors investigate the possib le links between early-age anorexia and adolescent anorexia. Although it is not common to find these two types of anorexia in the same perso n, the occurrence is found indeed. More often, anorexia at an early ag e has been described as occurring in offsprings of mothers who themsel ves had presented anorectic behaviors, either at an early age or in ad olescence. The authors question the possible role of the psychopatholo gy of mourning in the genesis of anorectic symptoms. They then proceed to some more general considerations on object relations observed in t hese cases. They suggest that a lack of integration of a satisfactory object relation may breed disturbances in relations and in symbolizati on of the type frequently observed in the semiology of early age or ad olescent anorexia.