Family mealtimes and adolescent psychopathology

This thesis examines aspects of adolescent family mealtimes and psychopathology among both non-clinical (adolescents and mothers of adolescents) and clinical (adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN)) samples. It contains seven studies employing quantitative methodology, which address three broad aims. First, to examine relationships between aspects of family mealtimes and psychopathology among adolescents. Second, to examine links between family mealtime emotions and psychopathology among mothers of adolescents. Finally, to examine associations between specific parental mealtime interactions and adolescent outcomes during a therapeutic meal session for adolescents with AN. Self-report questionnaires were completed by non-clinical adolescents and mothers of adolescents to examine associations between characteristics of family mealtimes (mealtime environment, mealtime emotions and parental feeding practices) and eating psychopathology, anxiety and depression. In addition, observational analyses were conducted on recordings of the family meal session (session two) of Family-Based Treatment (FBT) for adolescent AN. [Continues.]