Eating Disorders and their Affect on Interpersonal Difficulties

Abstract

With an estimated eight million Americans suffering from an eating disorder, understanding these disorders is of significant importance to help them. One aspect of eating disorders that needs to be more understood is how eating disorders affect a diagnosed person’s interpersonal relationships. To examine this relationship, research on eating disorders and interpersonal difficulties was gathered and analyzed. Two important models that were found and are examined are the four factor maintenance model for Anorexia Nervosa and the “vicious cycle” for Bulimia Nervosa. Based on research gathered, the more eating disorder behaviors or traits a person has the more interpersonal difficulties there are. Based on these findings it can be shown that the use of interpersonal psychotherapy in rehabilitation of eating disorders can decrease binging behavior in those diagnosed with Bulimia Nervosa and decrease relapses in those diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa.