The family that claims it was defamed by Augusten Burroughs in his book Running with Scissors has reached a settlement with the author and his publisher that includes multiple disclaimers by the author.

"We have always maintained that the book is fictionalized and defamatory. This settlement is the most powerful vindication of those sentiments that we can imagine," the Turcotte family said in a statement released Wednesday.

U.S. writer Augusten Burroughs has agreed to disclaimers in Running with Scissors.
(St. Martin's Press/Associated Press)

The family of Northampton psychiatrist Rodolph H. Turcotte sued Burroughs two years ago for $2 million US, claiming defamation, invasion of privacy and emotional distress over the book.

The financial terms of their settlement were not disclosed, but they have won a wide range of disclaimers in the preface to the book.

Burroughs and his publisher have agreed to call Running with Scissors a book instead of a memoir and to express regret for "any unintentional harm" caused to the Turcottes.

Future editions of the book will also contain this acknowledgement from Burroughs: "I would like to thank the real-life members of the family portrayed in this book for taking me into their home and accepting me as one of their own.

"I recognize that their memories of the events described in this book are different than my own. They are each fine, decent, and hard-working people. The book was not intended to hurt the family. Both my publisher and I regret any unintentional harm resulting from the publishing and marketing of Running with Scissors."

Burroughs has said publicly that the book, which was made into a 2006 film, is only loosely based on his life.

It describes the experiences of a young teen sent to stay with a family called the Finches, who live in great squalor and have many eccentric habits.

The father allows his teenaged daughter to have an affair with an adult man, the wife eats dog food and the family has an electroshock machine stored under the stairs.

Burroughs, formerly Christopher Robison, lived with the Turcottes in Northampton as a teenager and his entire family was in therapy with Dr. Turcotte.

Dr. Turcotte died in 2000, but the family contends that everyone in Northampton knew that the Finches were the Turcottes and that publication of Running with Scissors caused harm to their reputation.

The family settled a suit with Sony, maker of the film, about 10 months ago but did not release terms.

Publisher St. Martin's has placed a rider in the preface to Burroughs's 2006 book Possible Side Effects: True Stories, saying "some of the events described happened as related, others were expanded and changed."