Background: Few previous anorexia nervosa (AN) studies include siblings.
Objective: To investigate if adolescents with AN retrospectively perceived their parents as less caring and more controlling than their siblings, whether perceived parenting was related to psychological problems, and how AN had influenced their everyday lives.
Method: Forty-six former patients (mean age 23.1 years) and 21 siblings participated in the study by completing the Parental Bonding Inventory (PBI) and a questionnaire on the influence of AN during the acute phase.
Results: Former patients and their siblings had similar PBI results. Better adaptive functioning and lower levels of internalising psychological problems were correlated with higher ratings of parental care in both patients and siblings. Both patients and siblings reported that the illness had created conflict and caused concern, but had also provided valuable experiences.
Conclusion: Perceived parenting was associated with psychological problems in young adulthood but not with eating disorders. Our PBI results for both former patients and siblings were quite similar to non-clinical control groups. Health personnel treating adolescent AN should be aware of siblings' perspectives and needs.
Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.