Authors: Brunton, Joan N.¹; Lacey, J. Hubert¹; Waller, Glenn²

Source: European Eating Disorders Review, Volume 13, Number 6, November 2005 , pp. 406-410(5)

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract:

This pilot study aims to determine the effect of parental personality factors on their grown-up children's eating attitudes. Thirty sets of non-clinical participants (mother, father, young adult child) completed standardized measures of narcissism, borderline personality disorder characteristics and eating pathology. Data were analysed using correlations. There were specific associations between parental personality pathology and their child's eating attitudes in young adulthood, but only in relation to fathers' levels of maladaptive narcissism. The ‘martyred’ form of narcissism in fathers was linked to bulimic attitudes in their children, while their ‘controlling’ narcissism was linked with restrictive eating attitudes. These results add to the growing body of research demonstrating paternal influences on the development of eating attitudes. Potential clinical implications for family and individual therapy are also discussed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Keywords: eating disorder; personality; narcissism

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/erv.625

Affiliations: 1: St George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK 2: Eating Disorders Service, South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust, London, UK

Publication date: 2005-11-01

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