Parental eating disorders symptoms in different clinical diagnoses

The influence of parents can be an important variable in the development of eating disorders (EDs). However, few studies exist which simultaneously assess parents and their children, especially in different clinical groups.

Our study examines the differences in ED symptoms as measured on the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI), in parents and their children as patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), unspecified eating disorder (UED) and a control group (CG).

The mothers in the clinical group scored higher in ineffectiveness, interoceptive awareness, maturity fears, social insecurity and impulse regulation than the mothers in the control group. The patients’ fathers scored higher on impulse regulation than those in the control group. In addition, the fathers of patients in the BN group scored higher than the fathers of patients in the UED group in body dissatisfaction. They also scored higher in impulse regulation than the fathers of patients with AN. Ineffectiveness and impulse regulation were the variables in which patients’ scores were most similar to their parents.

These results show the presence of ED psychological variables in both parents, not just mothers. Prevention and intervention activities for eating disorders must be designed to also give an active role to the father.