Family and Couples Therapy

An in-depth analysis of the available family and couples therapy for Anorexia Nervosa, including evaluations.

This paper provides a comprehensive description of Anorexia Nervosa. Prevalence statistics, course and outcome and etiology of the disorder are described. The concept of the family unit is introduced. Family therapy of eating disorders is broken down into the steps and processes. The paper explores the effectiveness of family and couples therapy for eating disorders, and a combined treatment option is given.

Table of Contents
Description
Prevalence and Incidence
Course and Outcome
Etiology
Introduction to the Family
Family Therapy of Anorexia Nervosa
Effectiveness of Family Therapy
Marital and Couple Therapy
Combination Treatments
Conclusion
References
“The disease of Anorexia Nervosa affects all aspects of a patient’s life, including family functioning. The disease has a set of diagnostic criteria laid out by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV-TR) published by the American Psychiatric Association in 2000. Many researches have investigated the family links to the etiology of the disorder. To understand the theory of family therapy for Anorexia Nervosa, an understanding of family structure and family therapy in general is needed. Current research has found that involving the family in therapy is a useful tool in the healing process. Family therapy of Anorexia involves three stages ranging from the initial meeting to setting future goals and termination of the sessions. If the patient with Anorexia is married, then brief marital or couple therapy is used. Other forms of treatment such as nutritional rehabilitation or psycho-pharmacology usually accompany most family therapy.”