title: Pitfalls of the psychotherapy of twins with eating disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Scientific literature is limited on problems related to the psychotherapy of twins, especially eating disorders. This paper discusses the therapeutic difficulties encountered with two anorexic and one bulimic sets of twins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The three case reports show that the symbiotic tendency of twins is a frequent phenomenon, which may be a special resistance against change, and can serve as a factor maintaining the pathological state. In many cases, the parental behaviour strengthens the symbiosis of the twins, instead of helping the individuation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The integration of individual and family therapeutic interventions is proposed. The separation-individuation process of the twins can be stimulated by individual sessions with each of the twins, or separate sessions during family therapy (i.e., sessions with the parents and with one of the twins). In this case, the best strategy would be to have the individual and family therapies conducted by the same therapist.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Semmelweis University, H- 1089 Budapest, Nagyvárad Tér 4, Hungary. tury@t-online.hu
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Túry
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szentes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varga
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D000855:Anorexia / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001504:Beauty; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002032:Bulimia / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D017767:Holocaust; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D007207:Individuation; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D007585:Jews; D009769:Object Attachment; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D017741:Survivors; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic