Depressive tendencies and lower levels of self-sacrifice in mothers, and selflessness in their anorexic daughters.
(1) To compare levels of selflessness (the tendency to ignore one's own needs and serve others') and asceticism of parents and daughters, in anorexic and control families. (2) To investigate the relationship between parents' depression and daughters' selflessness. Twenty-eight anorexic daughters and their 28 mothers and 23 fathers were compared to 29 control daughters and their 29 mothers and 28 fathers, participants were administered the Beck Depression Inventory, the Selflessness Scale, the asceticism scale of the Eating Disorder Inventory and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Anorexics' mothers showed significantly lower levels of selflessness and asceticism compared to control mothers; anorexic daughters showed significantly higher levels of selflessness and asceticism compared to control daughters. Depressive tendencies in anorexics' mothers were associated positively and significantly with their daughters' selflessness. The results support the clinical literature that depicts the anorexic daughters' readiness to sacrifice themselves for the family's needs. Clinical implications are drawn.
Bachar
Eytan
E
Department of Psychology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel. bachare@mscc.huji.ac.il
Kanyas
Kyra
K
Latzer
Yael
Y
Canetti
Laura
L
Bonne
Omer
O
Lerer
Bernard
B
D000328:Adult; D000533:Altruism; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires