The relationship between specific constructs of attachment theory and systems theory: relevance to symptoms of eating disorders in young adulthood

Abstract

Psychological theories regarding the relationships between family members and the development of psychopathology have increasingly been applied to the research and treatment of eating disorders. However, the relationship between these theories has not been empirically investigated. This study examined the relationship between specific constructs of attachment theory and systems theory, and symptoms of eating disorders. Data were obtained from 266 female and 166 male university students aged 18 to 28 years. All participants completed the Parental Bonding Instrument, the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale II and the Eating Disorders Inventory. These self-report measures tap retrospective reports of care and protection in parent-child relationships, perceptions of cohesion and adaptability in the family system at present, and current eating disorder psychopathology respectively. Results indicated high internal consistency and construct validity on each measure. Demographic variables, apart from the sex of the participant, were unlikely to affect scores on the measures. Retrospective reports of the quality of parent-child bonds strongly correlated with, and predicted, current perceptions of family functioning. Specifically, retrospective reports of 'maternal care' in childhood predicted perceptions of cohesion in the family during young adulthood, while retrospective reports of 'paternal protection' predicted perceived family adaptability. For female participants, reports of rejecting or overprotective fathers, an 'affectionless control' mother-child bonding style and/or current perceptions of a rigid and disengaged family system were associated with symptoms of eating disorders. Family measures were weak predictors of cognitions associated with eating disorders. These findings imply that there is a relationship between constructs of attachment theory (care and protection) and constructs of systems theory (cohesion and adaptability). They also indicate that perceptions of a certain type of family environment in childhood and young adulthood are associated with the symptoms of eating disorders. However, family variables alone to do not account for the aetiology of these disorders. Implications for therapy with people with eating disorders, strengths and limitations of the present study, and suggestions for future research are outlined.