Research On Relationships Between Eating Disorders And Family Systems

Eating disorders manifest as abnormal eating habits and weight control behaviors to the detriment of an individual’s physical and mental health and social function, which may even be life-threatening. As the number of patients grows and the mass media reports on extreme cases in recent years, this disease is increasingly attracting the attention and concerns of the public in China. The etiology of eating disorders is very complex, and original family relationship is an important social and psychological factor in its development.In the West many theories and empirical studies have explored the relationship between eating disorders and the family. Many scholars have conducted clinical, quantitative and postmodern researches on this topic. In China family researches on eating disorders are scarce; therefore launching these researches can enhance clinical understanding and improve family’s role in the development and treatment.Using grounded theory as methodology guidance, this study collected family experiences narratives of patients with eating disorders to explore the characteristics of their original family system, and themes among family experiences, explore the interplay of these factors.Specifically, this study selected23patients with eating disorders as subjects, conducted open in-depth interviews encouraging respondents to talk about their family life experiences vividly and deeply, transcribe the interview recordings into transcripts, and use qualitative research software to code the materials from the bottom up and in three levels. This study summed up the themes and characteristics of various types of family relationships and explored the linkages and interactions between family factors and the disease.The main results are as follows. Father-daughter relationship:bad exchanges (mentioned by18respondents); little time to spend together,(16); the alienated feelings (16). Mother-daughter relationship:difficult communication (16); over-close relationships (12), and all their parents’ marital relationships show obvious problems; high conflicts (10). Parents’ marital relationship: high conflicts (17). Long separation from parents in early childhood (11). The parents show behavior and substance addiction (13).18respondents mention the first time symptoms emerge (junior high school to freshman). Relationship changes:father-daughter relationship improves (15), and most of the improvement occurs " after falling ill" or "now"; mother-daughter relationships improves (12), most occurs "after falling ill" or "recently"; parents’ marital relationship improves (6), and most occurs "in the last one or two years".Combined with the existing theories and previous studies, this dissertation discusses about the results. The conclusions are as follows:The father-daughter relationships of patients with eating disorders show overall estranged status in childhood, and father’s emotional absence makes daughters be caught in "father hunger" which makes daughters extremely eager for paternal recognition; in adolescence, daughters begin to identify with socio-cultural "beauty" standards, trying to get closer to fathers in general sexual way, but due to father’s fear of his own Oedipus trauma being re-activated, the father-daughtel relationships are more alienated; empty and shame feelings make daughter’s body image ever more twisted.Father’s Absence and failed marriage make the mother-daughter entanglement more severe which hinders patients’ separation from families and individualization; large number of conflict in father-mother relationships can not be directly solved, and they project their own trauma o(?) daughters. Therefore daughters become scapegoats for family problems, and maintaining famil; balance become a secondary benefit of the disease; family system problems force daughters t become patients.Parental substance dependence and addictive behavior make patients to learn similar copin strategies; patients’ eating behaviors are often accompanied by strong family emotion; experiences, along with the establishment and loss of relationships. As a result, when facin frustration and stress, these women suffering from hunger father, mother-daughter entanglemei and holding family traumas select the external food to give themselves comfort, or avoid food avoid growing up and separation and avoid the family falling apart.