U Wunderlich1, M Gerlinghoff, H Backmund. 1. Max-Planck-Institute of Psychiatry, Therapy Center for Eating Disorders Munich, Germany. ursula.wunderlich@web.de
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether siblings of patients with eating disorders show a more disturbed eating behavior and a higher proneness to associated psychological characteristics than controls. METHOD: 84 patients with eating disorders of an outpatient clinic, their siblings (n=84) and a control group (n=84) with an age range 14-34 for the total sample were evaluated using the Eating Disorder Inventory-2. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the siblings and the controls in disturbed eating behavior. DISCUSSION: The existence of an eating disorder in patients does not seem to be related to the development of eating disturbed behavior in their siblings.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether siblings of patients with eating disorders show a more disturbed eating behavior and a higher proneness to associated psychological characteristics than controls. METHOD: 84 patients with eating disorders of an outpatient clinic, their siblings (n=84) and a control group (n=84) with an age range 14-34 for the total sample were evaluated using the Eating Disorder Inventory-2. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the siblings and the controls in disturbed eating behavior. DISCUSSION: The existence of an eating disorder in patients does not seem to be related to the development of eating disturbed behavior in their siblings.
Authors: P E Garfinkel; E Lin; P Goering; C Spegg; D S Goldbloom; S Kennedy; A S Kaplan; D B Woodside Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 1995-07 Impact factor: 18.112