Define a psychological disorder and describe one possible cause of the disorder.

Anorexia Nervosa can be defined as an eating disorder characterised by weight loss, difficulty to maintain appropriate body weight, and the restriction of the types of food eaten. The DSM-IV states that individuals suffering from the disorder have an intense fear of gaining weight, or being obese, despite being underweight, and are disturbed by their body weight; their self-worth is influenced by their body weight/shape. One cause of anorexia are issues with the function of families, and the psychopathology within these families. As a  result of the offspring disorder (passing one’s mental condition to their children) may be family pathology, and due to  the family system theory, these families are regarded as “psychosomatic”. These families are characterised by high levels of rigidity, overprotectiveness, enmeshment and a lack of conflict resolution. Research has shown that unsatisfying relationships in families is associated with the children and adolescents having psychological dimensions, such as self-awareness, the beauty ideal, significant body dissatisfaction and perfectionism. Although, there is no official empirical way to measure these dimensions, making it difficult to establish cause and effect.