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Family functioning and life events in the outcome of adolescent anorexia nervosa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Clive North ,
Simon Gowers  and
Victoria Byram
Clive North*
Affiliation:
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Manchester
Simon Gowers
Affiliation:
Section of Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Liverpool
Victoria Byram
Affiliation:
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Manchester
*
Dr C. North, Child and Family Consultation Service, Reunion House, 35 Jackson Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex CO15 1JA
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Abstract

Background

This study investigates the outcome of anorexia nervosa in adolescents in relation to precipitating life events and changes in family functioning over time.

Method

Thirty-five adolescents with anorexia nervosa and their mothers were administered measures of life events and family functioning at initial assessment and 1 and 2 year follow-up, when outcome was also assessed.

Results

Fifty-five per cent of patients had a good outcome. Patients from initially well-functioning families or those with precipitating life events improved more in the first year, than those with dysfunctional families or without events. Subjects perceived a deterioration in family functioning at 1 year follow-up but an improvement at 2 years. Mothers reported no changes.

Conclusions

Approximately half of a series of early onset cases of anorexia nervosa can be expected to recover by 2 years. Healthy family functioning and presence of a precipitating life event predict good short-term outcome. The relationships between subjects' perceptions of family functioning and their recovery from anorexia nervosa is discussed.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 171 , Issue 6 , December 1997 , pp. 545 - 549
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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