A Cognitive Behavioral Family Therapy Approach: The Impact of Divorce on a Hispanic Adolescent with an Eating Disorder

Abstract

Each year, millions of marriages end up in divorce which can cause teenagers to experience multiple physiological and psychological issues. Cognitive Behavioral Family Therapy (CBFT) has become increasingly popular among family therapists in recent decades, who utilize it either as a stand-alone technique within a system perspective or integrated into other approaches with couples and family therapy. There is a gap in the literature regarding the utilization of CBFT to a divorced family of Hispanic/Latinx descent with an adolescent who developed an eating disorder. The overall aim of this article is to provide insight for marriage and family therapists (MFTs), other mental health professionals, professors/teachers, researchers, and virtually everyone. The researchers hope to provide the ability to conceptualize eating disorders in a way that promotes empathy, compassion, and awareness. Barriers unique to Hispanic/Latinx families, clinical implications, and future directions will be discussed.