Exploring pyschological distress in carers' eating disorders

Section A This is a systematic literature review of empirical research investigating the effectiveness of interventions on reducing psychological distress in carers of people with eating disorders. The review summarises and evaluates twenty-two studies. Methodological issues are considered, and clinical and research implications are discussed. Section B This is a cross-sectional survey of parents of people with eating disorders. It explores the relationships between depressed mood, entrapment, guilt, shame, self-criticism, selfcompassion and submissive compassion using correlation and mediation analyses. There were several findings: first, entrapment and self-criticism were found to be mediators between the relationship of shame and depressed mood. Second, self-compassion appeared to reduce the experience of depressed mood through its effect on shame and entrapment. Third, self-compassion also appeared to reduce the experience of depressed mood through its effect on self-criticism. Clinical and theoretical implications, methodological limitations and suggestions for further research are discussed. Section C Includes all the appendices from the research.