Attachment styles and anorexia nervosa: a literature review

Author

Lauren Battaglia, Loyola University
Carolyn McNamara Barry, Loyola University

Periodical Title

Modern Psychological Studies

Volume

17

Number

2

Page Numbers

pages 50-57

Department

Dept. of Psychology

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Date

2012

Abstract

Anorexia nervosa affects about 1.8 million women in the United States of America. Aside from the direct effects of the disorder, which includes detrimental weight loss, there are a number of related physical effects that are strongly correlated, some of which can be fatal (Birmingham & Treasure, 2010). Research on the etiologies of the disorder has indicated numerous factors ranging from neurobiological to psychological to social. In this paper we focus on the link between parent-child attachment styles and anorexia nervosa. In particular, parental care, connectedness, and control are examined. We also explore the mediating variables (e.g., core beliefs and defense styles) between this link Lastly, we discuss future research directions, such as the examination of under-studied anorexic populations of male athletes.

Subject

Psychology

Keyword

attachment; anorexia; parental care; control

Discipline

Psychology

Document Type

article

DCMI Type

Text

Extent

8 leaves

Language

English

Call Number

BF1 .M63 v. 17 no. 2 2012

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Recommended Citation

Battaglia, Lauren and Barry, Carolyn McNamara (2012) "Attachment styles and anorexia nervosa: a literature review," Modern Psychological Studies: Vol. 17: No. 2, Article 8.
Available at: https://scholar.utc.edu/mps/vol17/iss2/8