Eating disorders and family interaction

The McMaster Model of Family Functioning was used to compare women with eating disorders with a normal comparison group. The anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa groups showed similar perceived family pathologies but bulimics with no history of anorexia showed a pattern of family interaction that was more severely 'unhealthy' than that of the other clinical groups. The McMaster Model could be a useful tool in clinical assessment and in planning therapy in this particular area.