‘Living With a Young Person with an Eating Disorder: The Sibling Experience’

Eating disorders (EDs) are complex difficulties which can have a significant impact upon a whole family, as well as the individual themselves. Although EDs can occur across the lifespan, they most commonly effect young people during adolescence. Families are viewed as having an integral role to play in supporting the young person to overcome their difficulties and as such they are more regularly being invited, and expected, to be a key component of the treatment process. In parallel, research has begun to pay interest in the experience of family members who are caring for and

supporting young people with EDs.

The current literature review aimed to explore and synthesise the existing knowledge around the parental experience of caring for a young person with an ED. A systematic search of five electronic databases and grey literature resulted in 13 studies being included in the review. A meta-synthesis identified five main themes which captured

parents’ experiences of making sense of the ED as well as trying to manage its impact. The themes also recognised parents’ experiences of others during the ED as well as

their experiences of treatment.

Whilst understanding of the parental experience is growing, less is understood about the experiences and needs of well siblings within the family. Thus, the current empirical study aimed to 1) build upon the knowledge of the sibling experience and 2) explore what aspects of this experience were most significant to the siblings, thus informing how services may support them in the future. This was achieved using individual interviews and Q methodology. The results highlighted the unique position of well siblings within the family, as well as the challenges and advantages this position may bring.