Psychological Distress Among Sisters of Young Females With Eating Disorders: The Role of Negative Sibling Relationships and Sense of Coherence

There is limited research on sibling relationships in families with an eating disorder (ED) child. The aim of the study was to examine the association between sibling relationships, sense of coherence, psychological distress and depression among healthy sisters of females with or without EDs. Participants were 60 females (13-31 years old): 30 who had a sister with an ED (study group) and 30 without (controls). Participants completed self-report questionnaires: depression, psychological distress, sibling relationships, and sense of coherence. Results showed that the study group had significantly higher levels of depression and negative sibling relationships than the control. A significant negative correlation was found between sense of coherence and depression. The study model shows that belonging to one of the groups, sense of coherence, and sibling relationships were significant predictors of the healthy sisters’ depression level. It is suggested that when sister has an ED, negative sibling relationships can influence the psychological condition of her healthy sister.