Relational attitudes in adolescent girls with and without a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa
Abstract Background People with eating disorders experience interpersonal difficulties, but little research explores relational attitudes in this population. We examined sense of relational entitlement towards parents, pathological concern, and psychological distress in adolescent girls with and wit...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of Eating Disorders |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00896-8 |
| _version_ | 1797454147241377792 |
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| author | Rachel Bachner-Melman Roni Rom Lilac Lev-Ari Iris Shachar-Lavie Orit Krispin Rami Tolmacz |
| author_facet | Rachel Bachner-Melman Roni Rom Lilac Lev-Ari Iris Shachar-Lavie Orit Krispin Rami Tolmacz |
| author_sort | Rachel Bachner-Melman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background People with eating disorders experience interpersonal difficulties, but little research explores relational attitudes in this population. We examined sense of relational entitlement towards parents, pathological concern, and psychological distress in adolescent girls with and without anorexia nervosa (AN) or atypical anorexia nervosa (AAN). Methods Questionnaires assessing sense of entitlement towards parents, pathological concern, and symptoms of depression and anxiety were completed by 85 girls with and 100 girls without AN/AAN (mean age 15.06 ± 1.41). The AN/AAN group also completed a measure of ED pathology. Results Eating pathology, pathological concern and symptoms of depression and anxiety were positively associated with both restricted and inflated sense of entitlement towards parents. AN/AAN participants scored significantly higher than controls on restricted and inflated sense of entitlement, pathological concern and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Restricted sense of entitlement and pathological concern partially mediation the association between AN/AAN and symptoms of depression and fully mediated the association between AN/AAN and anxiety. Within the AN/AAN group, pathological concern and symptoms of depression explained a large proportion of the variance in ED pathology. Conclusions Adolescent AN/AAN takes a heavy toll on emotional and social health, perhaps in part because crucial aspects of relational mutuality fail to develop. Teens with AN/AAN tend to over-focus on their parents’ needs at the expense of their own needs. They also have impaired capacity to realistically appraise expectations from their parents, tending to feel over- and/or under-entitled to need fulfillment. These relational attitudes are associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety and should be addressed in therapy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:33:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-500edd7a85bf413fb8cb3118addcac0a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-2974 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:33:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Eating Disorders |
| spelling | doaj.art-500edd7a85bf413fb8cb3118addcac0a2023-11-26T12:06:43ZengBMCJournal of Eating Disorders2050-29742023-09-0111111210.1186/s40337-023-00896-8Relational attitudes in adolescent girls with and without a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosaRachel Bachner-Melman0Roni Rom1Lilac Lev-Ari2Iris Shachar-Lavie3Orit Krispin4Rami Tolmacz5Clinical Psychology Graduate Program, Ruppin Academic CenterBaruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman UniversityClinical Psychology Graduate Program, Ruppin Academic CenterChild and Adolescent Psychiatry, Schneider Children’s Medical Center of IsraelChild and Adolescent Psychiatry, Schneider Children’s Medical Center of IsraelBaruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman UniversityAbstract Background People with eating disorders experience interpersonal difficulties, but little research explores relational attitudes in this population. We examined sense of relational entitlement towards parents, pathological concern, and psychological distress in adolescent girls with and without anorexia nervosa (AN) or atypical anorexia nervosa (AAN). Methods Questionnaires assessing sense of entitlement towards parents, pathological concern, and symptoms of depression and anxiety were completed by 85 girls with and 100 girls without AN/AAN (mean age 15.06 ± 1.41). The AN/AAN group also completed a measure of ED pathology. Results Eating pathology, pathological concern and symptoms of depression and anxiety were positively associated with both restricted and inflated sense of entitlement towards parents. AN/AAN participants scored significantly higher than controls on restricted and inflated sense of entitlement, pathological concern and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Restricted sense of entitlement and pathological concern partially mediation the association between AN/AAN and symptoms of depression and fully mediated the association between AN/AAN and anxiety. Within the AN/AAN group, pathological concern and symptoms of depression explained a large proportion of the variance in ED pathology. Conclusions Adolescent AN/AAN takes a heavy toll on emotional and social health, perhaps in part because crucial aspects of relational mutuality fail to develop. Teens with AN/AAN tend to over-focus on their parents’ needs at the expense of their own needs. They also have impaired capacity to realistically appraise expectations from their parents, tending to feel over- and/or under-entitled to need fulfillment. These relational attitudes are associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety and should be addressed in therapy.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00896-8Relational attitudesAnorexia nervosaAtypical anorexia nervosaSense of relational entitlementPathological concern |
| spellingShingle | Rachel Bachner-Melman Roni Rom Lilac Lev-Ari Iris Shachar-Lavie Orit Krispin Rami Tolmacz Relational attitudes in adolescent girls with and without a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa Journal of Eating Disorders Relational attitudes Anorexia nervosa Atypical anorexia nervosa Sense of relational entitlement Pathological concern |
| title | Relational attitudes in adolescent girls with and without a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa |
| title_full | Relational attitudes in adolescent girls with and without a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa |
| title_fullStr | Relational attitudes in adolescent girls with and without a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relational attitudes in adolescent girls with and without a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa |
| title_short | Relational attitudes in adolescent girls with and without a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa |
| title_sort | relational attitudes in adolescent girls with and without a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa |
| topic | Relational attitudes Anorexia nervosa Atypical anorexia nervosa Sense of relational entitlement Pathological concern |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00896-8 |
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