scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 Confinement on Adolescent Patients with Anorexia Nervosa: A Qualitative Interview Study Involving Adolescents and Parents

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 4251
Author(s):  
Michael Zeiler ◽  
Tanja Wittek ◽  
Leonie Kahlenberg ◽  
Eva-Maria Gröbner ◽  
Martina Nitsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Female Adolescent ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Family Time ◽  
Daily Routines ◽  
Slowing Down ◽  
Qualitative Interview Study ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Adolescent Patients

COVID-19-related restrictions may have a serious impact on patients with eating disorders. We conducted semistructured interviews with female adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) (n = 13, 13–18 years) currently receiving inpatient or outpatient treatment and their parents (n = 10). We asked for their experiences during COVID-19 confinement regarding everyday life, AN symptoms, and treatment. We used thematic analysis to interpret the data. The main themes identified from the patients’ interviews involved restrictions of personal freedom (i.e., leading to tension between patients and family members, reduced motivation to work on recovery), interruption of the treatment routine (emerging risks through self-monitored weight, challenges/opportunities of teletherapy), changes in AN symptoms (more exposure to triggering situations), COVID-19-related fears, and compulsions but also potential opportunities (less stress, better family relationships). The parents discussed changes in daily routines as negative (challenges in maintaining day structures) and positive (more family time, “slowing down”). They expressed reservations about reduced outpatient monitoring and increased teletherapy and discussed challenges in keeping contact with the child and clinicians during inpatient treatment. Moreover, the parents discussed deteriorations and improvements in the patients’ psychopathology. Clinical implications from these in-depth insights include the importance of strengthening communication between changing staff cohorts, patients, and parents; motivational work; and joint weight monitoring with the therapist.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of polyunsaturated fatty acids efficacy in adolescents with anorexia nervosa

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-106
Author(s):  
Agnieszka M. Piróg-Balcerzak ◽  
Anna K. Bażyńska ◽  
Katarzyna Biernacka ◽  
Joanna Brągoszewska ◽  
Lidia Popek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Female Adolescent ◽  
Eating Attitude ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Eat 26

Objective. Omega–3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were tested in adolescent depression and in several neurodevelopmental disorders with partial success. Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterised by deficiencies in fatty food intake and frequent comorbidity, including depressive and cognitive symptoms. Thus supplementation with PUFAs may be beneficial in this group of patients. The aim of the study was to assess whether PUFAs as an add-on treatment is associated with better improvement of body mass index (BMI) and psychopathological symptoms than placebo in patients with AN. Method. 61 female adolescent inpatients with AN were randomly allocated to omega–3 PUFAs supplementation or placebo for 10 weeks. Patients also participated in the behavioural programme and eclectic psychotherapy (treatment as usual, TAU). At baseline and follow-up visits, patients’ BMI and psychopathology were assessed with Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI), Patient Global Impression Scale (PGI), and Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26). Results. After 10 weeks, both groups showed improvement in all parameters. Improvement in CGI scores was observed greater in placebo vs. PUFA-s group (p = 0.015) while other differences were not statistically significant. Omega–3 PUFAs supplementation appears not to be effective as an add-on treatment in inpatient adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa. Conclusions. The results should be analysed with caution due to small sample size and heterogeneity in TAU. As the TAU turned out to be highly effective, additional therapeutic effect of PUFA might not be visible. Nevertheless, that does not explain the tendency for better improvement in the placebo group.

scholarly journals Family Psychic Transmission and Anorexia Nervosa

Psico-USF ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 635-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Élide Dezoti Valdanha-Ornelas ◽  
Manoel Antônio dos Santos
Keyword(s):  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Young Woman ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Emotional Development ◽  
Female Body ◽  
Maternal Grandmother ◽  
Three Generations ◽  
Mother Daughter Relationship ◽  
Mother And Daughter

Abstract Studies show that family relationships can act as mediating agents in triggering and maintaining the symptoms of anorexia nervosa (AN), especially the mother-daughter relationship configuration, which contains unconscious elements transmitted inter-generationally. This study aimed to understand the role of intergenerational psychic transmission in the articulation of anorexic symptoms in a young woman in treatment. Three generations of women of the same family were interviewed: maternal grandmother, mother and daughter, all diagnosed with AN. Some psychic contents that could not be elaborated were identified in the reports and these were, subsequently, converted into legacies transmitted to later generations. Feelings of inhibition and shame regarding sexuality and the female body, transmitted from grandmother to mother and from mother to granddaughter, seem to have blocked the emotional development in all generations. Incorporating these findings into treatment may facilitate the processing of the transmitted unconscious contents, contributing to the reorganization of the family's psychodynamic functioning.

scholarly journals Physical fitness and nutritional status in female adolescents with anorexia nervosa

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofía María MARTÍNEZ-SÁNCHEZ ◽  
Tomás Eugenio MARTÍNEZ-GARCÍA ◽  
Diego MUNGUÍA-IZQUIERDO
Keyword(s):  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Normative Data ◽  
Handgrip Strength ◽  
The Body ◽  
Female Adolescent ◽  
Female Adolescents ◽  
Status Score ◽  
Shuttle Run

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to determine whether physical fitness is related to nutritional status in a sample of female adolescents with anorexia nervosa, to contrast the nourished and undernourished patients, and to compare the physical fitness in these patients with normative data of healthy subjects stratified by age and gender. Methods Nutritional status was determined using the body mass index Z-score, fat mass, fat-free mass (bioelectrical impedance analysis), and the Controlling Nutritional Status score in 15 anorexic adolescents with 14.3±1.6 years. Physical fitness was assessed using the ALPHA-Fitness Battery (handgrip strength, standing broad jump, 4x10m shuttle run, and 20m shuttle run tests). Results Handgrip strength was significantly associated with all variables of nutritional status, except with the three blood components of the Controlling Nutritional Status score. The undernourished anorexic patients showed significantly worse physical fitness than the nourished anorexic patients in all tests, except in the standing broad jump and the 4x10m shuttle run tests. The physical fitness tests of the female anorexic adolescents showed scores significantly worse than those of the normative European female adolescent population. Conclusion The observation of female adolescents with anorexia nervosa showed associations between higher physical fitness levels and better nutritional statuses. Handgrip strength and 20m shuttle run tests may be options of additional indicators of undernutrition in anorexic female adolescents. The undernourished anorexic patients showed worse physical fitness than the nourished ones. According to normative data for healthy sex- and agematched adolescents, physical fitness is severely impaired in anorexic female adolescents.

The Influence of Confucianism on the Perceptions and Process of Caring Among Family Caregivers of Persons With Dementia: A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
pp. 104365962090589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hing Cheung Yiu ◽  
Yuli Zang ◽  
Jocelyn Han Shi Chew ◽  
Janita Pak Chun Chau
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Family Caregiving ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
Chinese Family ◽  
Culturally Adapted ◽  
Semistructured Interviews

Introduction: Scant evidence reveals the influences of Confucianism on family caregiving in dementia. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of Confucianism on the perceptions and process of caring among the Chinese family caregivers. Method: A qualitative study was conducted using semistructured interviews with 15 Chinese family caregivers of persons with dementia in three elderly care centers in Hong Kong. The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed, while a thematic analysis was performed to analyze the transcript at the latent level. Results: Three themes emerged from the interviews: (a) setting family as a top priority, (b) growth and development in families, and (c) enhancing family relationships. Discussion: Our findings provided insights into how Confucianism influences the experience of family caregivers in caring persons with dementia in Chinese communities. These findings help develop culturally adapted interventions to improve the support for family caregivers of persons with dementia.

Assessing Family Relationships: A Multi-method, Multi-situational Approach

1984 ◽  
Vol 144 (4) ◽  
pp. 387-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. G. Walker ◽  
N. Thomson ◽  
W. R. Lindsay
Keyword(s):  
Direct Observation ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Family Interaction ◽  
Free Play ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Child Interaction ◽  
Mother Child Interaction ◽  
Meal Time

SummaryRatings of behaviour and family relationships were made on the basis of (a) a non-schedule standardised interview, (b) direct observation of family interaction during a meal time and (c) direct observation of mother-child interaction during free play. A number of scales met a battery of reliability and other criteria, and possible generalisation of these ratings across methods (interview versus direct observation) and settings (meal time versus free play) was assessed. For the vast majority of scales this was low. Reasons for this, together with some clinical implications, are discussed.

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