THE FAMILY AND THE EATING DISORDERS

Abstract

Study model: Review of literature study. Purpose of the study: To investigate the constructions about the family dynamics of people with eating disorders in the specialized literature. Method: Qualitative approach based on the “daily sense production”, a theoretical and methodological proposal, well-founded in the social constructionism epistemological perspective in Social Psychology. A bibliographical search was made using the data basis PsycINFO, in the period of 1972 to 2005 with the search room: “words anywhere”, with the descriptors: “family and bulimia or eating disorders”, “family and anorexia or eating disorders”, “family and anorexia and group”, “family and “group therapy” and anorexia”. Results: It was found 366 references. Several studies aim to find correlations between the familiar functioning and the appearance of the disorder, with controversial between the founded results, and methodological and epistemological criticism. Conclusion: The importance of an critical analysis of the conceptions and theories about the familiar dynamics in the scientific context, and its implications in the offered specialized care. The necessity of more studies with the focus in the familiar perspective about the disease and the treatment.