Eating disorders: A qualitative analysis of the parents' journey

Barbara Beale
School of Nursing, University of Western Sydney, Parramatta Campus, Sydney NSW

Rose McMaster
Lecturer, Faculty of Nursing, Department of Family and Community Nursing, University of Sydney, Sydney NSW

Sharon Hillege
Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing, Australian Catholic University, Sydney NSW

PP: 124 - 132

Abstract

Eating disorders are a major concern in Western society. The journey that parents undertake when their child has suffered from an eating disorder has been rarely reported.

The aim of this research was to explore the parents' journey using in depth interviews. Twenty-two parents from New South Wales, Australia, volunteered to be interviewed as a result of advertisements placed in parent support organisation newsletters and by using a snowballing technique. Four aspects of the journey that the parents took when their child was ill are reported in this paper.

The research findings are taken directly from the accounts provided by parents. These parents' stories will be of interest to health professionals working with families in the area of eating disorders.

| More

Keywords

eating disorders; parents' strength; journey


View references

References

Ball, J. & Ball, R. (1995). Eating Disorders: a survival guide for family and friends. Sydney: Doubleday.

Ben-Tovim, D., Walker, K., Gilchrist, P., Freeman, R., Kalucy, R & Esterman, A. (2001). Outcome in patients with eating disorders: a 5-year study. The Lancet, 357: 1254-1257.

Claude-Pierre, P. (1997). The secret language of eating disorders. Australia: Transworld Publishers.

Crowl, M.A. (1980).Art therapy with patients suffering from anorexia nervosa. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 7: 141-151.

Dalzell, H (2000) Whispers: The role of family secrets in Eating Disorders. Eating Disorders, 8: 43-61.

Dare, C., Eisler, I., Russel, G.F.M. & Szmulker, G.I. (1990).The clinical and theoretical impact of a controlled trial of family therapy in anorexia nervosa. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 16: 39-57.

El-Sayad, L. (1998). Families need support during chronic mental illness. Tennessee Nurse, 61(4): 13-14.

Foltz-Gray, D. (1998).When my son stopped eating. (Women and eating). Health, 12: 91.

Frankenburg, F.R. (1984). Female therapists in the management of anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 3: 25-33.

Friedman, M. (1985). Survivor guilt in the pathogenesis of anorexia nervosa, Psychiatry, 48: 25-39.

Gilchrist, P., Ben-Tovim, D., Hay, P., Kalucy, R., & Walker, M Kay (1998). Eating disorders revisited. 1: anorexia nervosa. Medical Journal of Australia, 169: 438-441.

Gross, M. (1984). Hypnosis in the therapy of Anorexia Nervosa. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 26(3): 175-181.

Hall, A. (1987). The place of family therapy in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 21: 568-574.

Hay, P. (1998). Eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and related syndromes - an overview of assessment and management. Australian Prescriber, 21(4): 100-103.

Kopec-Schrader, E.M: Marden, K; Rey, J.M; Touyz, S.W & Beumont, P.J.V. (1993). Parental evaluation of treatment outcome and satisfaction with an inpatient program for eating disorders. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 27: 264-269.

Lee, S. (1996). Reconsidering the status of anorexia nervosa as a Western culture-bound syndrome. Social Science and Medicine, 42(1): 21-34.

Lock, J. (2001). 'Anorexia Nervosa and Other Eating Disorders'. Broadcast interview by Swan, N. Radio National, Australian Broadcast Commission, 7 May.

Lock, J., le Grange, D., Agars, W.S.,& Dare, C. (2001).Treatment manual for anorexia nervosa. New York: The Guildford Press.

Marks, J. (1992).We have a problem. Parents, 67(1): 49.

McLintock, B. (2002). Anorexia's fallen angel. The untold story of Peggy Claude-Pierre and the controversial Montreux Clinic. Ontario, Canada: Harper Collins.

McMaster, R., Beale, B., Hillege, S.& Nagy, S. (2004) The parent experience of eating disorders: Interactions with health professionals. The International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 13: 67-73.

Richards, L. (1999). Using NVivo in Qualitative research. London: Sage Publications.

Santonastaso, P. Saccon, D. & Favaro, A. (1997). Burden and psychiatric symptoms on key relatives of patients with eating disorders: a preliminary study. Eating & Weight Disorders, 44-48.

Sharkey - Orgnero, M Irene (1999) Anorexia Nervosa: A qualitative analysis of parent's perspectives on recovery. Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 7(2): 123-141.

Treasure, J; Murphy, T; Szmukler, G; Todd, G; Gavan, K. & Joyce, J. (2001).The experience of care giving for severe mental illness: a comparison between anorexia nervosa and psychosis. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 36(2001)7: 343-347.

Wolf, J.M., Willmuth, ATR & Watkins, A. (1986).Art therapy's role in the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa. The American Journal of Art Therapy, 25: 39-46.



RSS Facebook Twitter

Sign Me Up

*Email Address
First Name
Surname

Web Feed

Latest Articles

Special Issues

Advances in Contemporary Health Care for Vulnerable Populations
Volume 42/1
Summary


Advances in Contemporary Community & Family Health Care (3rd edn)
Volume 41/1
Summary | Contents


Advances in Contemporary Complex Health Care: Nursing Interventions
Volume 40/2
Summary | Contents


Advances in Contemporary Community and Family Health Care (2nd edn)
Volume 40/1
Summary | Contents


Advances in Contemporary Nurse Education (2nd edn)
Volume 38/1-2
Summary | Contents


Advances in Contemporary Indigenous Health Care (2nd edn)
Volume 37/1
Summary | Contents


Advances in Contemporary Nursing: Workforce and Workplaces
Volume 36/1-2
Summary | Contents


Advances in Contemporary Modeling of Clinical Nursing Care
Volume 35/2
Summary | Contents


Advances in Contemporary Mental Health Nursing (2nd edn)
Volume 34/2
Summary | Contents


Advances in Contemporary Nursing and Gender
Volume 33/2
Summary | Contents


Advances in Contemporary Nurse Education
Volume 32/1-2
Summary | Contents


Advances in Contemporary Nursing: History of Nursing and Midwifery in Australasia
Volume 30/2
Summary | Contents


crossref.org - The citation linking backbone



Website by Arrowsmith Websites. Website Design Sunshine Coast, Australia.