Family characteristics of 105 patients with bulimia.

The authors compared 105 patients who met DSM-III criteria for bulimia with 86 control subjects on measures of family environment and presence of eating disorders. Bulimic patients' perceptions of their families included low cohesiveness, a lack of emphasis on independent and assertive behavior, and a high level of conflict coupled with a low emphasis on open expression of feelings. Families of bulimic subjects had achievement expectations comparable to those of control families, but the former placed less emphasis on intellectual and recreational activities. The high disorganization of the families of bulimic subjects was associated with severity of symptoms.