Psychological explanations for anorexia nervosa: family systems theory, including enmeshment, autonomy and control
Family systems theory argues that unhealthy family dynamics can trigger anorexia nervosa. The person uses control over eating to gain a sense of independence they cannot find elsewhere.
Real World
Salvador Minuchin's clinical work with families of anorexia patients found that mealtimes became sites of intense conflict over autonomy, with parents controlling food as a proxy for controlling every aspect of a teenager's life.
Exam Focus
Define enmeshment precisely before applying it — vague references to 'family problems' will not access higher mark bands.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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