Objective: To provide a critical review of the research on mood and anxiety disorders in relatives of individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN). In the first section, we explore methodological issues with these studies. In the second section, we present results.
Method: A Medline search identified studies published on family history of mood and anxiety disorders in AN, and was complemented by a manual search. Only studies from 1980 to 2006 using strict diagnostic criteria for the disorders were included [Feighner and Halmi criteria for AN, Reasearch Diagnostic Criteria (RDC), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Third Edition - Revised (DSM-III-R) or DSM - Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) for anorexia and other disorders].
Results: A review of the research methods used in the studies revealed a number of methodological problems. Therefore, we provide only a description of the prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders in relatives of individuals with AN.
Conclusions: In the light of the methodological issues uncovered, the value of the results of these studies and their implications for further study are considered.