psyc exp for AN- family systems theory Flashcards
what is family systems theory
parents behavior can influence the development of anorexia so we must look at the family as a whole and not just at its
individuals members
control meaning in terms of AN
o direct or to exercise authoritative influence over behaviors. In
the case of AN, sufferers exert control in an effort to reduce family dependence.
high levels of parental control
how does control link to AN
food consumption may be the only thing they can control in their lives
persistent weight loss makes them feel in control- way to reclaim autonomy
what does enmeshment means
when families are too controlling and don’t understand boundaries meaning the AN person lacks a personal identity and individuality as their identity is tied to their families (usually their mothers)
autonomy meaning
The freedom to make decisions and determine actions without the constraints
imposed by others, and the extent to which we are dependent from others
AN patients lack this
who studied this (2)
Bruch (1971)
Minuchin (1978)
what did Bruch do to support enmeshment
She interviewed 51 mother and daughter pairs where the child was anorexic.
mothers create anorexigenic families when they had few wider friends and became overinvolved in daughters’ lives. Anorexic children fail to develop any sense of autonomy, so they assert control over their own lives when they feel powerless in other areas.
what did Minuchin (1978) conclude from her research
Argued that it is the dynamics within the family’s everyday interactions [systems] that creates anorexics
what 4 characteristics did she say correlated with anorexic families
Enmeshment: transactional style, lots of family involvement, lack of privacy, speaking on another behalf
Over-protection: Parents over-nurture + allow child little freedom
Rigidity: Family strives to retain status + avoid changes of any sort can create issues in teen years
Avoidance of conflict: A lack of resolution results in build-up of conflict
what is a strength of fst (includes a study about something)
Real life applications-
Robin (1995) Family-based therapy (FBT)
86% of anorexics showed improvement in disorder after FBT
emphasizes the role of the family in recovery, challenging the idea that anorexia nervosa is solely an individual issue. By involving the family, FBT helps create a supportive environment that fosters recovery, focusing on the relationships between the patient and their family members in a structured way
what is a weakness of this
social desirability
Studies are over reliant upon self-report data
Patients and family members may down play report own experiences of interaction- This emotional barrier can result in skewed data, particularly when respondents feel they must answer in socially acceptable ways.
Reports may be distorted/biased by the need to explain/emotions.
undermines the reliability of research findings
this means therapists or healthcare providers may miss critical information about the patient’s eating behaviors, emotional state, and psychological distress.
whats another- i didnt explain that well
issues with operationalisation (process of defining the measurement of a phenomenon which is not directly measurable)
Ideas like enmeshment are hard to pin down so measurements may have lower validity when compared to biological measures.
could affect credibility in academic or medical settings
what do families suggest to avoid
conflict
this threatens enmeshed families because it could lead to disruption or detachment
what is rigidity
families are resistant to chance
resists change, even when change is necessary for growth or healthy functioning leading to emotional turmoil
what may parents do to restrict children
overprotective not allowing children to experience normal failures
whose evidence increased external validity of study
Brockmeyer et al.
what did he find
found that individuals with AN had a significantly greater desire to be autonomous. (supports enmeshed fams limit independence)
whys this beneficial
based on observations conducted in naturalistic family settings, rather than artificial lab environments.
allows for more accurate insights into real-life family interactions, increasing the generalizability of the results.
