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Parental Emotional Availability and Family Functioning in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa Subtypes.

ABSTRACT: Emotional availability (EA) is a complex construct describing the emotional bond between parents and child, and it refers to support, sensitivity, warmth and closeness. Few studies have investigated the perception of parental EA and its association with dysfunctional eating pattern. The aim of the study is to explore the perception of mothers' and fathers' EA of adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) and any differences between the two subtypes of binge-purge (B/P) or restrictive (R) AN. Furthermore, it investigates the association of parental EA with AN symptomatology and with patients' perception of family functioning, which is identified as a maintenance factor for AN. A total of 60 adolescents between 12 and 18 years and their parents (n = 120) were recruited in two eating disorder (ED) specialized care centers. Patients completed the LEAP and the FACES IV questionnaires evaluating parental EA and family functioning, respectively. Results showed no difference between AN subtypes, but a greater perception of mother when compared to father EA was found. Moreover, the EA construct was found not to be associated with ED symptomatology but with a greater positive family functioning. Our study is the first that explores EA in AN, and results suggest the importance of considering parents' emotional engagement as part of the treatment core, together with the eating symptomatology management.

SUBMITTER: Criscuolo M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9819780 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Parental Emotional Availability and Family Functioning in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa Subtypes.

Criscuolo Michela M Marchetto Chiara C Buzzonetti Alessandra A Castiglioni Maria Chiara MC Cereser Lucia L Salvo Pierandrea P Zanna Valeria V

International journal of environmental research and public health 20221221 1

Emotional availability (EA) is a complex construct describing the emotional bond between parents and child, and it refers to support, sensitivity, warmth and closeness. Few studies have investigated the perception of parental EA and its association with dysfunctional eating pattern. The aim of the study is to explore the perception of mothers' and fathers' EA of adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) and any differences between the two subtypes of binge-purge (B/P) or restrictive (R) AN. Further ...[more]

PMID: 36612388

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Project description:AbstarctPURPOSE: Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a severe chronic disorder and parents' experience of caregiving is usually marked by emotional distress and burden. Severe chronic psychiatric disorders are known to be linked with the concept of grief. Grief has not been investigated in AN. The aim of this study was to explore parents' and adolescents' characteristics that may be related to parental burden and grief in AN, and the link between these two dimensions.MethodsEighty mothers, 55 fathers and their adolescents (N = 84) hospitalized for AN participated in this study. Evaluations of clinical characteristics of the adolescent's illness were completed, as well as self-evaluations of adolescent and parental emotional distress (anxiety, depression, alexithymia). Levels of parental burden were evaluated with the Experience of Caregiving Inventory and levels of parental grief with the Mental Illness Version of the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief.ResultsMain findings indicated that the burden was higher in parents of adolescents with a more severe AN; fathers' burden was also significantly and positively related to their own level of anxiety. Parental grief was higher when adolescents' clinical state was more severe. Paternal grief was related to higher anxiety and depression, while maternal grief was correlated to higher alexithymia and depression. Paternal burden was explained by the father's anxiety and grief, maternal burden by the mother's grief and her child's clinical state.ConclusionParents of adolescents suffering from AN showed high levels of burden, emotional distress and grief. These inter-related experiences should be specific targets for intervention aimed at supporting parents. Our results support the extensive literature on the need to assist fathers and mothers in their caregiving role. This in turn may improve both their mental health and their abilities as caregivers of their suffering child.Level of evidenceLevel III: Evidence obtained from cohort or case-control analytic studies.

Dataset Information

Parental Emotional Availability and Family Functioning in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa Subtypes.

Publications

Parental Emotional Availability and Family Functioning in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa Subtypes.

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