This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Related articles in BJP
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by STEIN, A.
Right arrow Articles by FAIRBURN, C. G.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by STEIN, A.
Right arrow Articles by FAIRBURN, C. G.
The British Journal of Psychiatry (2001) 179: 157-162
© 2001 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Influence of psychiatric disorder on the controlling behaviour of mothers with 1-year-old infants

A study of women with maternal eating disorder, postnatal depression and a healthy comparison group{dagger}

ALAN STEIN, FRCPsych and HELEN WOOLLEY, BA

Leopold Muller Centre for Child and Family Mental Health, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London

LYNNE MURRAY, PhD and PETER COOPER, PhD

Department of Psychology, University of Reading

SANDRA COOPER

Leopold Muller Centre for Child and Family Mental Health, Department of Paediatrics, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London

FIONA NOBLE, MRCPsych and NICKY AFFONSO, MRCPsych

Park Hospital for Children, Oxfordshire Mental Healthcare NHS Trust, Oxford

CHRISTOPHER G. FAIRBURN, FRCPsych

Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Correspondence: Professor Alan Stein, Leopold Muller Centre for Child and Family Mental Health, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Royal Free Site, Rowland Hill Street, London NW3 2PF, UK. Fax: +44 (0)20 7447 3789; e-mail: Astein{at}tavi-port.org

Declaration of interest The study was funded by the Wellcome Trust.

{dagger} See editorial, pp. 93–94, this issue.

Background Certain styles of parental controlling behaviour influence child development. Work with mothers with eating disorders suggests that they may be particularly controlling of their infants.

Aims To examine the nature and specificity of maternal controlling behaviour in mothers with eating disorders compared with mothers who had experienced postnatal depression and a healthy comparison group.

Method Mothers with eating disorders (n=34), postnatal depression (n=39) and a healthy comparison group (n=61) and their 12-month-old infants were observed during play and mealtimes, and blind ratings made of verbal and non-verbal control exerted by the mother.

Results Mothers in the eating disorder group used more verbal control, especially strong control. There were no differences between the groups on gentle verbal control and physical contact. Maternal dietary restraint was the one feature of eating disorder psychopathology associated with the use of verbal control. Marital criticism was also associated with the extent of verbal controlling behaviour.

Conclusions Aspects of maternal control of infants were found to be specific to maternal eating disorder psychopathology.


Related articles in BJP:

Highlights of this issue
ELIZABETH WALSH
BJP 2001 179: 0. [Full Text]  

Causal processes in development and psychopathology
RICHARD HARRINGTON
BJP 2001 179: 93-94. [Full Text]  



This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Psychosom. Med.Home page
J. F. Morgan, J. H. Lacey, and E. Chung
Risk of Postnatal Depression, Miscarriage, and Preterm Birth in Bulimia Nervosa: Retrospective Controlled Study
Psychosom Med, May 1, 2006; 68(3): 487 - 492.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 JWatch PsychiatryHome page
Eating Disorders in Mothers Can Lead to Disordered Parenting
Journal Watch Psychiatry, December 20, 2001; 2001(1220): 13 - 13.
[Full Text]

Home page
 JWatch Women's HealthHome page
Eating Disorders in Mothers Can Lead to Disordered Parenting
Journal Watch Women's Health, October 16, 2001; 2001(1016): 5 - 5.
[Full Text]

Home page
 Br. J. PsychiatryHome page
R. HARRINGTON
Causal processes in development and psychopathology
The British Journal of Psychiatry, August 1, 2001; 179(2): 93 - 94.
[Full Text] [PDF]