O'Dwyer, Louise (2014) ‘I’m no more your mother or father...’ Parents’ experiences of having a child hospitalised for an eating disorder. Professional Doctorate thesis, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust/University of East London. Full text available

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Abstract

This thesis explores parents’ experiences of having a child hospitalised for an eating disorder. It is a qualitative study based on clinical parent work sessions, undertaken by a child psychotherapist in an inpatient unit treating young people aged 8 – 17. There is a review of the relevant literature, which outlines themes that have arisen in similar studies, as well as defines the terms used in this study. The methodology section explains how the research was carried out and provides details about the sample group of the eight parents who were recruited to the study. Parents were asked about their experiences in an open and unstructured way and explored with the child psychotherapist. These sessions were written up and analysed, using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. The main preoccupations of the parents were around transitions, their states’ of mind and their relationships, both inside the unit and outside of it. Each of these themes is explored in detail in the findings section. Of particular interest was that some parents seemed to have developed what were termed ‘eating disorder states’ of mind’, which are states of mind that have been written about previously in patients with eating disorders. Furthermore, it was found that previous parental experiences played a significant role in all three areas of parental preoccupations. The thesis then draws together the main conclusions from this study. The limitations of this study are discussed as well as reflecting on the process of undertaking the research. Recommendations for practice are made, as well as considering the role of the child psychotherapist supporting parents in this context.

Item Type:	Thesis (Professional Doctorate)
Additional Information:	Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and the University of East London for the degree of Professional Doctorate in Child Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Professional Doctorate in Child Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, University of East London, 2023 additions
Subjects:	Children, Young People and Developmental Pyschology > Child Psychotherapy Children, Young People and Developmental Pyschology > Adolescents - Psychotherapy Disabilities & Disorders (mental & physical) > Eating Disorders Families > Parent Child Relations/Parenthood Research, Tests, Assessments > Psychotherapy Research
Department/People:	Children, Young Adult and Family Services Research
URI:	https://repository.tavistockandportman.ac.uk/id/eprint/2747

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