Evaluation of Family Relations, Self-control and Alexithamia as the Predictors of Anorexia Nervosa

Aim: A mental disorder known as anorexia is a relatively common disorder in the recent decades  and has affected many people, especially young girls. This study aims to predict the relationship between anorexia as the independent variable and family relations, self control, and alexithymia as predictor variables. Methods: This study is a descriptive-correlational type. The study sample consisted of 109 women in the city of Shiraz who were selected through convenience sampling. Anorexia mental disorder was measured using questionnaires from Garner and Garfinkel (1979), parental bonding were measured using questionnaires parental bonding by Parker et al. (1979),Self-control was measured using a self-control scale Grasmick (1993) and alexithymia was measured using the Toronto alexithymia (1986).The data was analyzed by stepwise multiple regressions test. Findings The findings showed that, impulsively is one of the sub-scales of self-control  (β =-0/24 , p<0/05) and the extreme support is a parental bonding based sub-scale (β =0/23 , p<0/05) predicted anorexia disorder. Meanwhile Alexithymia cannot predict anorexia disorder. Conclusion: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that efforts to regulate impulsivity and reduce extreme support in family relationships are effective in preventing from anorexia nervosa.