ABSTRACT
The aim of this chapter is to examine how families adjust when one member develops an eating disorder. In the chapter we develop a stress and coping model of the difficulties that carers encounter in their role. High levels of problems in each of the components that impact on the caregiving role can produce chronic stress, depression and anxiety. These include patient factors, such as the unwillingness to accept the sick role commonly found in anorexia nervosa, and the wide range of symptomatic behaviours associated with an eating disorder. Also the visible nature of anorexia nervosa in particular and the profound impact on a core component of family life produce intense reactions in family members including, attributions about the illness and reorganisation of the family around the illness. The chapter ends with an introduction to those interventions that aim to improve caring coping skills.
