The Importance of Separation-Individuation Process in the Treatment Course of a Monozygotic Twin Pair Concordant for Anorexia Nervosa: A Case Report

Abstract

Anorexia nervosa is a serious mental illness with marked morbidity and mortality. Twin studies on anorexia nervosa concluded that there was a higher concordance rate in monozygotic twins (56%) than in dizygotic twins (7%). Monozygotic twins diagnosed with anorexia nervosa had a delay separation-individuation process and this led to face difficulties in their daily life. In this case report, we present a pair of monozygotic twin females which have an overly close relationship, competitiveness, and perfectionism, as well as stressful family dynamics.