The Boundary-Control Model of Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa: An Integrative Approach to Etiology and Treatment?

Abstract

This paper introduces the Boundary-Control Model. The model provides an account of the emergence, maintenance, and treatment of anorexia nervosa, with particular emphasis on the role of boundaries and control. The model delineates four basic emotional needs, which shape the adolescent's sense of self-worth. It assumes that when those needs are damaged, anxiety is induced and anorexia emerges as a defense mechanism. Treatment involves stripping away the adolescent's false sense of power by creating a crisis and provoking the hidden anxieties. The development and maintenance of anorexia nervosa, as well as its treatment, will be discussed in light of the proposed model.

Notes

¹We refer to female adolescents since they are the majority of ED patients.