Attachment Styles and Eating Disorders
There have been many studies over the years regarding attachment styles and eating disorders. This is due to the incidence of eating disorders increasing in numbers among young women in industrialized countries. This rise has been seen in the last three decades. Eating disorders are prevalent among young women but also include some young men as well. The studies used for this review pertained to women only. Researchers have demonstrated the correlation between anorexia nervosa and bulimia in regards to attachment styles in many instances. This review of the literature on attachment styles and eating disorders focuses on the following six items.
1. How did the investigators measure the topic of attachment styles and eating disorders?
2. Who were the participants in the studies involved?
3. What were the designs of the studies used?
4. What were the results?
5. Summary
6. Implications
How Did Investigators Measure the Topic of Attachment Styles and Eating Disorders?
Five influential articles were reviewed for information regarding attachment styles and to determine the relationship to eating disorders. Various questionnaires were used for each study. Latzer, Hochdorf, Bachar, and Canetti (2002) used the Adult Attachment Scale and Family Environment Scale. This particular study sought to show that the family environment of eating disorder individuals would hypothesize the following three things:
1. The family environment of eating disorder individuals would have lower levels of cohesiveness, expressiveness, encouragement of personal growth and maintenance than families of normal controls.
2. The attachment styles of individuals with eating disorders would be shown as less ...
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Admittedly, many psychologists define attachment as an enduring affectionate bond that one person forms between himself and another person throughout life. Since Mary Ainsworth provided the most famous research: strange situation, offering explanations how each individual differences in attachment. However, in this Adult Attachment Style questionnaire that I took, I found many factors relevant to attachment as it was defined in the textbook. For example, in the textbook, it defines attachment based on Ainsworth research, the strange situation by observing attachment forms between mother and infants. Which they are described in four attachment styles: securely attached, insecure avoidant, insecure resistant, and insecure disorganized. The questions on the questionnaire were based on those areas to determine my style of attachment.
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The correlation between eating disorders and other psychological disorders is very important for our understanding of the causes and possible treatments for eating disorders. It is known that many people with eating disorders also fit the criteria for several DSM-IV psychological disorders. If researchers can find patterns of comorbidity between these two types of disorders they may be able to better diagnose and treat patients with both of these disorders. The question that I pose it what is the relationship between eating disorders and personality disorders(axis 11 disorders in DSM-IV)? It is important to look for comorbidity between the two disorders to determine the impact they have on each other. Once we understand their relationship we may be able to prevent one disorder by treating the other or maybe use the same type of therapy to treat both. In order to answer the question posed I have reviewed several major research articles on the prevalence and comorbidity of personality disorders and eating disorders.
Individuals are pieces of a whole, called the family. The family has an undeniable influential role on each of the members of the unit, and conversely the individuals’ influence on the family unit. With this undeniable understanding of the family, it is important to look at the relationship between those with eating disorders and birth order. Is there a correlation between birth order and the development of either anorexia nervosa or bulimia? However, birth order only scratches the surface of the relationship between eating disorders and the family unit. Looking past potential relationships between birth order and eating disorders, is there the possibility of a relationship between eating disorders and the family dynamic? Perhaps the dynamic of the shared relationship between family members, beyond sibling relationships, plays an important role in the development of either anorexia nervosa or bulimia.
In order to compare rates across eating disorder subtypes, the eating disordered women were divided into the following groups: (1) ...
An eating disorder is characterized when eating, exercise and body image become an obsession that preoccupies someone’s life. There are a variety of eating disorders that can affect a person and are associated with different characteristics and causes. Most cases can be linked to low self esteem and an attempt to, “deal with underlying psychological issues through an unhealthy relationship with food” (“Eating Disorders and Adolescence,” 2013). Eating disorders typically develop during adolescence or early adulthood, with females being most vulner...
It is very rarely, even in the lives of normal human beings, that they are faced with a veritable, identifiable enemy. By controlling their eating disorders, patients can assert control over their lives. This is bound to reduce their depression (even eliminate it altogether as a constant feature of their mental life). This is bound to ameliorate other facets of their personality disorders. Here is the chain: controlling eating disorders=controlling my life=I am worthy, I have self-confidence, self esteem and self-worth=I have a challenge, an interest, an enemy to subjugate=I am strong=I can socialize=I feel better (I am a success) etc.
Shapiro, C. M. (2012). Eating disorders: Causes, diagnosis, and treatments [Ebrary version]. Retrieved from http://libproxy.utdallas.edu/login?url=http://site.ebrary.com/lib/utdallas/Doc?id=10683384&ppg=3
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