Patients with anorexia nervosa perceive higher emotional connectedness to their parents than bulimia nervosa patients independent of objective family factors
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Psychological constructs of individual autonomy (IA) and emotional connectedness (EC) differ between patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN); however, it is unclear whether objective family factors modulate these associations. METHODS: In a cohort of 445 participants from the FamFINED study (FAMily Factors INvolved in Eating Disorders) with eating disorders (EDs) diagnosed as AN (n = 232) or BN (n = 213), we assessed objective psychosocial family factors as well as the IA and EC constructs using the self-rated Subjective Family Image Test (SFIT) questionnaire. RESULTS: While the two ED entities did not differ with respect to IA in univariate analysis (p = 0.355), patients diagnosed with AN had higher perceived EC than participants with BN, as assessed by a lower score for the difference between the actual and desired family image (16.0 ± 15.8 vs. 21.6 ± 17.6, p < 0.001). In a regression model adjusted for age, body-mass index, living in parental home, and parental separation, we found that the EC score used as the dependent variable differed significantly between the two ED entities (expβ = 4.8, 95% confidence interval = 0.54-9.11, p = 0.028). In contrast, no association was observed between IA and ED diagnoses using the same set of confounders (p = 0.717). CONCLUSION: The higher perceived EC in AN patients compared to those diagnosed with BN indicates more intense feelings of family solidarity, regardless of objective family factors.
Source: Neuropsychiatrie
Authors: Elias Fischer, Noah Lensch, Günter Reich, Thomas Meyer
Institution: University of Göttingen
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,390
OpenAlex ID: W4416717606