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Free AccessOriginal Article

Psychiatric Disorders and Personality Styles in Mothers of Female Adolescent Patients with Eating Disorders

Published Online:November 17, 2016https://doi.org/10.1024/1422-4917/a000495

Abstract

Abstract.Objective: To provide further insight into the presently poorly understood role of familial psychopathology in the development of eating disorders (ED). Method: The present study assesses psychiatric and personality disorders listed on Axis I and II of the DSM-IV in 27 mothers of adolescent patients with anorexia (AN mothers) and 14 bulimia nervosa (BN mothers) as well as 22 mentally healthy girls (CG mothers) on a categorical level. Furthermore, we conducted a dimensional diagnostic regarding personality styles and personality traits. Results: AN and BN mothers showed increased rates of Axis I disorders, especially affective, substance use, and anxiety disorders. Differences on Axis II did not reach statistical significance. However, BN mothers showed higher occurrences of paranoid, negativistic, and schizotypal personality styles compared to the other groups. BN mothers further showed higher occurrences than CG mothers of the personality traits excitability, aggressiveness, physical complaints, openness, and emotionality. AN mothers differed significantly from CG mothers on the scale demands. Conclusions: Increased occurrence of psychopathology on both categorical and dimensional levels in mothers of patients with AN and BN supports the assumption of a familial accumulation of psychopathology in ED. Longitudinal studies and genetic analyses should clarify a possible cause-effect relationship and interactions between familial dynamics and adolescent ED.

Keywords: eating disorders, adolescent patients, mothers, psychiatric disorders, personality styles.


Zusammenfassung.Fragestellung: Die Rolle familiärer Psychopathologie spielt in der Betrachtung von Essstörungen eine wichtige Rolle, ist jedoch bislang nicht hinreichend untersucht. Methodik: Die vorliegende Studie erfasst psychiatrische Störungen bei 27 Müttern von Patientinnen mit Anorexia nervosa (AN-Mütter), 14 Müttern von Patientinnen mit Bulimia nervosa (BN-Mütter) und 22 Müttern gesunder Kontrollprobandinnen (KG-Mütter) anhand kategorialer Kriterien. Zudem erfolgte eine dimensionale Untersuchung von Persönlichkeitsstilen und –merkmalen. Ergebnisse: Mütter von Patientinnen mit Essstörungen weisen erhöhte Raten von psychiatrischen Störungen, insbesondere affektiven Störungen, Substanzmissbrauch und Angststörungen, auf. Der Gruppenvergleich bezüglich des Vorliegens von Persönlichkeitsstörungen zeigte keine statistische Signifikanz. BN-Mütter wiesen jedoch stärkere Ausprägungen hinsichtlich des paranoiden, negativistischen und schizotypischen Persönlichkeitsstils im Vergleich zu den anderen beiden Gruppen auf. Zudem zeigten sie im Vergleich zu den KG-Müttern erhöhte Werte bezüglich der Persönlichkeitsmerkmale Erregbarkeit, Aggressivität, körperliche Beschwerden, Offenheit und Emotionalität. AN-Mütter offenbarten im Vergleich zu den KG-Müttern erhöhte Werte auf der Skala Beanspruchung. Schlussfolgerungen: Das Vorliegen von Psychopathologie sowohl auf kategorialer als auch dimensionaler Ebene bei Müttern essgestörter Patientinnen unterstreicht die Vulnerabilität für psychiatrische Erkrankungen. Längsschnittstudien und genetische Untersuchungen sollten den Ursache-Wirkungs-Zusammenhang klären und Interaktionen zwischen familiärer (Persönlichkeits-)Dynamik und adoleszenten Essstörungen weitergehend untersuchen.

Schlüsselwörter: Essstörungen, adoleszente Patientinnen, Mütter, psychiatrische Störungen, Persönlichkeitsstile

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