Abstract

RAMOS, Fabiana Neme Nogueira; CALAIS, Sandra Leal; NEME, Carmen Maria Bueno  and  REZENDE, Fernanda Pádua. Anorexic adolescents and their perception of family relationships. Bol. - Acad. Paul. Psicol. [online]. 2018, vol.38, n.94, pp.111-121. ISSN 1415-711X.

Anorexia is an eating disorder that has as main symptoms low food intake, constant concern about not gaining weight accompanied by behaviors that interfere in its gain and changes in the perception of one's own weight or body shape. Researchers in the area spread the idea that anorexia is linked to difficulties in family organization, but this conception has been questioned, which indicates the need for further studies. A qualitative study was carried out in order to understand the perceptions of nine anorexic adolescents, aged between 16 and 22 years, chosen for convenience in mental health care clinics, in the relations with their parents and siblings. An interview script was used with questions about family relationships (adolescent and mother, adolescent and father, adolescent and siblings). For these adolescents the mother is much closer in the physical and affective sense. The paternal figures are perceived as insecure, dependent and absent. There is no evidence of conflict in the perception of the relationship with siblings and, in general, the adolescents perceive their family relations as not very conflictual. One limitation of the study was to investigate only the perception of adolescents and not their relatives. It is concluded that the adolescents' view of the family cannot be viewed as negative, and particular considerations cannot be overlooked

Keywords : Anorexia; adolescence; family relations.

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