Abstract
Specific strategies designed for intervening in family, hospital, community, and school systems are discussed as crucial components in the treatment of adolescent anorexia nervosa. It is suggested that all these systems inadvertently collude in the “Peter Pan Syndrome”: maintaining the adolescent-identified patient in a latency age role in order to protect mother from depression and the family in its entirety from an “empty nest” developmental crisis. When strategic and structural alterations occurred within the above mentioned systems while the child was hospitalized and after discharge, the anorectic symptom was alleviated.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Haley, J.Problem-solving therapy. New York: Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1976.
Minuchin, S.Psychosomatic families. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1979.
Minuchin, S., & Fishman, H.C.Family therapy techniques. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1981.
Rohrbaugh, M., Tennen, H., Press, S., White, L., Raskin, R., & Pickering, R.Paradoxical strategies in psychotherapy. Symposium presented at the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, 1977.
Watzlawick, P., Weakland, J., & Fisch, R.Change: Principles of problem formation and problem resolution. New York: Norton, 1974.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
1983, Fall
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mirkin, M.P. The Peter Pan Syndrome: Inpatient treatment of adolescent anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Family Therapy 7, 205–216 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00924505
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00924505