Are coping strategies really different among family members of patients with eating disorders?

Abstract

IntroductionFamily members of patients with Eating Disorders(EDs)–in dealing with the relatives’ disease–report negative feelings such as self-blame and criticism, but little is known regarding their coping strategies.ObjectivesTo describe coping strategies in a sample of relatives of patients with EDs using the Family Coping Questionnaire–Eating Disorder version (FCQ-ED).Aims (1) To evaluate coping strategies in relatives of patients with EDs; (2) to describe differences in coping strategies according to type of kinship with the patient; (3) to identify correlations among socio-demographic characteristics, patients’ clinical characteristic, and type of coping strategies.MethodsRelatives’ coping strategies were evaluated using the FCQ-ED, a self-administered questionnaire, consisting of 32 items, grouped in 5 subscales: coercion; positive communication; collusion; seeking for information; avoidance, plus one item on seeking for spiritual help.ResultsSeventy-two patients and 127 relatives were recruited. The most frequently adopted coping strategies were seeking for information, positive communication, seeking for spiritual help; the former were positively correlated with the level of education of both patients and relatives. Mothers avoided the patients less frequently than other relatives.DiscussionThis is one of the first studies focused on coping strategies in families of patients with EDs showing that problem-oriented ones are used quite often. Socio-demographic characteristics and type of kinship can have an impact on the adoption of coping strategies, but further longitudinal studies are needed in order to identify other possible factors implied in their development.ConclusionsThis represents an initial attempt to understand how clinical, social and personal variables can have an impact on the development of coping strategies.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.