ABSTRACT
There may be differences between the diagnoses of anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) that differentially impact family functioning and family attitudes toward each illness, resulting in dissimilar levels of expressed emotion (EE) among families. This chapter outlines EE specifically in the context of BN. Differences in levels of EE and caregiver burden between families of those with BN compared with other eating disorder diagnoses are reviewed. EE profiles in families of individuals with BN are also reviewed, suggesting that the match between parent EE and patient EE may be important in terms of treatment outcome. Interventions to reduce caregiver EE are outlined, as are ethnic differences in EE. The chapter concludes with directions for future research.
