DEFENCES IN KEY RELATIVES OF PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS: PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ABOUT FAMILY COPING IN EATING DISORDERS AND DRUG DEPENDENCE

摘要

The aim of the study was to point out the positive and negative strategies of Coping adopted by the key relative, that should have an effect on the clinical course and on the social functioning of the patient. We studied 10 families of patients affected by Eating Disorders (ED) and Dependence Disorders (DD) by means of two tests, respectively: the Questionnaire Coping Family (QCF) test for the key relatives, the Social Adaptation Self-Evaluation Scale (SASS) test for the patients. By the QCF Test, we identified some coping styles in the family member, whereas by using the SASS evaluation scale, we studied the social adaptation of the patient. Key relatives of eating disorder patients showed a more active coping style and lower ability to encourage the patient's socialization than key relatives of drug dependent patients.