Assumptions and beliefs in adolescents with anorexia nervosa and their mothers

A pilot study examined the specific cognitive content of female adolescents with anorexia nervosa. The relationship between daughter and mother concerns, and concerns in mothers, also were investigated. All participants completed a measure of assumptions and negative self-beliefs related to eating disorders. Adolescents with anorexia nervosa scored more highly on all subscales of the measure than nonclinical adolescent controls. There were significant daughter- mother relationships on two subscales in the clinical, but not the nonclinical, group. However, the two groups of mothers did not differ on any subscale. Possible explanations for the findings, and implications for treatment and research, are briefly considered.