Anorexia Nervosa Family system explanations

Environmental explanation

Focuses on family and parental environment

Effective parenting

When parents respond appropriately to their child’s needs, such as feeding them when hungry or comforting them when anxious.

Ineffective parenting

When parents respond inappropriately so they will feed the child when anxious and cuddle when hungry, leading to confusion about the internal needs of the child and becoming reliant on their parents.

Adolescence encourages a desire for individuality; however, they are unable to do so as they feel that they do not know their bodies, therefore take on eating disorder behaviors to control their body.

Minuchin et al (1978)

Found a link between anorexia in children and the influence of the family and parents due to parental behavior and expectations.

Bruch (1973)

Anorexia originates from childhood and was an effect of how parents respond to infant needs, either effectively or ineffectively.