Affiliative behaviour and conflictual communication during brief family therapy of patients with anorexia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
Although patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) present positive responses to family therapy, the key features of therapeutic changes still require identification. This study explores the role of conflictual communication and affiliative nonverbal behaviour in therapeutic change in brief strategic family therapy (BSFT) for AN patients.


METHODS
Ten female AN patients and their parents were included in the sample and took part in a 6-month follow-up of BSFT. The durations of conflictual communication and of affiliative nonverbal behaviour estimated by eye contact were compared between the first and the last sessions of family-based treatment using nonparametric statistical tests.


RESULTS
An increase of the Body Mass Index associated with an increase in the conflictual communication expressed during BSFT sessions were observed. Moreover, affiliative nonverbal behaviour expressed by the father and the patient decrease, after a BSFT follow-up, in conflictual situations only. By contrast, no significant difference was observed in affiliative nonverbal behaviour expressed by the mother.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study demonstrates that the impact of the BSFT differs between members of a family: the AN patient and the father have established a new form of emotional functioning with a decrease in emotional involvement. The study of the combination between verbal and nonverbal communication can represent an important step in the understanding of the mechanisms of therapeutic change.
Research Unit on Cognitive and Affective Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of North of France, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France. karyn.doba@univ-lille3.fr
Karyn
K
Doba
Laurent
L
Pezard
Guillaume
G
Berna
Jean
J
Vignau
Jean-Louis
JL
Nandrino
D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005190:Family; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009633:Nonverbal Communication; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult