Providing a voice for forgotten children : a portfolio of work incorporating a research study on well siblings' experience of living with a sibling with anorexia nervosa

Well siblings of adolescents with mental health difficulties often fall risk to becoming the "forgotten family members" (Bowman et al., 2014, p. 269), yet they have an increased vulnerability to developing psychological difficulties (Barnett & Hunter, 2012). Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is an illness that frequently develops in adolescence and is regularly found to elicit powerful emotions, consequently having an overwhelming impact on the family system (Dimitropoulos et al., 2009). Moreover, changes that occur during adolescence can play a critical role in shaping psychosocial and neurobiological development (Kim, 2021). However, research surrounding the experience of siblings into adulthood is sparse. The present study addresses this gap in the literature and offers insights into the lived experiences of adults who grew up with a sibling suffering from AN during adolescence. The data was collected through individual, semi-structured interviews of six participants over the age of 25. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis shed light on the following themes: Position within the Family, Fracture and Separation, and How do we address it? The study emphasises the need for including siblings in AN treatment and recognizing their experiences to provide appropriate trauma-informed support, education, and interventions.