The experiences and strategies of parents’ of adults with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa: a qualitative study
Abstract Background Caring for an individual with an eating disorder involves guilt, distress and many extra burdens and unmet needs. This qualitative study explored the experiences of parents with adult daughters suffering from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa and the strategies they adopted. A...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03345-5 |
| _version_ | 1818577459674611712 |
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| author | Jannike Karlstad Cathrine Fredriksen Moe Mari Wattum Berit Støre Brinchmann |
| author_facet | Jannike Karlstad Cathrine Fredriksen Moe Mari Wattum Berit Støre Brinchmann |
| author_sort | Jannike Karlstad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Caring for an individual with an eating disorder involves guilt, distress and many extra burdens and unmet needs. This qualitative study explored the experiences of parents with adult daughters suffering from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa and the strategies they adopted. A subsidiary aim of the study was to explore the relationship between the caregivers’ perceived need for professional support and the support they reported receiving in practice from the health services. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 mothers and fathers from across Norway. Data collection, coding and analysis was conducted using the principles of constructivist grounded theory in an iterative process. The main concern shared by participants was identified by this process and their “solution” to the main concern then formed the content of the core category. Results ″Wearing all the hats″ emerged as the core category, indicating that the parents have to fulfil several roles to compensate the lack of help from health services. The three subcategories: “adapting to the illness”, “struggling for understanding and help” and “continuing to stay strong” described how the participants handled their situation as parents of adult daughters with eating disorders. Conclusions In daily life, the parents of adults with eating disorders have to attend to a wide range of caregiver tasks to help their ill daughters. This study suggests that the health services that treat adults with eating disorders should be coordinated, with a professional carer in charge. The parents need easy access to information about the illness and its treatment. They also need professional support for themselves in a demanding situation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T06:30:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f0e13e74f1c3456ba594465d4f0e77db |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T06:30:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-f0e13e74f1c3456ba594465d4f0e77db2022-12-21T22:40:54ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2021-07-0121111110.1186/s12888-021-03345-5The experiences and strategies of parents’ of adults with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa: a qualitative studyJannike Karlstad0Cathrine Fredriksen Moe1Mari Wattum2Berit Støre Brinchmann3Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Nord UniversityFaculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Nord UniversityKUN Centre for equality and diversityFaculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Nord UniversityAbstract Background Caring for an individual with an eating disorder involves guilt, distress and many extra burdens and unmet needs. This qualitative study explored the experiences of parents with adult daughters suffering from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa and the strategies they adopted. A subsidiary aim of the study was to explore the relationship between the caregivers’ perceived need for professional support and the support they reported receiving in practice from the health services. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 mothers and fathers from across Norway. Data collection, coding and analysis was conducted using the principles of constructivist grounded theory in an iterative process. The main concern shared by participants was identified by this process and their “solution” to the main concern then formed the content of the core category. Results ″Wearing all the hats″ emerged as the core category, indicating that the parents have to fulfil several roles to compensate the lack of help from health services. The three subcategories: “adapting to the illness”, “struggling for understanding and help” and “continuing to stay strong” described how the participants handled their situation as parents of adult daughters with eating disorders. Conclusions In daily life, the parents of adults with eating disorders have to attend to a wide range of caregiver tasks to help their ill daughters. This study suggests that the health services that treat adults with eating disorders should be coordinated, with a professional carer in charge. The parents need easy access to information about the illness and its treatment. They also need professional support for themselves in a demanding situation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03345-5Anorexia nervosaBulimia nervosaParentsCaregiversHealth servicesQualitative research |
| spellingShingle | Jannike Karlstad Cathrine Fredriksen Moe Mari Wattum Berit Støre Brinchmann The experiences and strategies of parents’ of adults with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa: a qualitative study BMC Psychiatry Anorexia nervosa Bulimia nervosa Parents Caregivers Health services Qualitative research |
| title | The experiences and strategies of parents’ of adults with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa: a qualitative study |
| title_full | The experiences and strategies of parents’ of adults with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | The experiences and strategies of parents’ of adults with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The experiences and strategies of parents’ of adults with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa: a qualitative study |
| title_short | The experiences and strategies of parents’ of adults with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | experiences and strategies of parents of adults with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa a qualitative study |
| topic | Anorexia nervosa Bulimia nervosa Parents Caregivers Health services Qualitative research |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03345-5 |
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