During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has experienced a surge in new pediatric eating disorder cases and hospitalizations and long treatment waitlists, with parents experiencing anxiety due to a lack of support. As it has not been rigorously studied, there is an urgent need to understand and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, youth, and families living with eating disorders across Canada. The investigator's proposed research has two goals. First, the investigators plan to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic faced by this population throughout the country, as well as describe stakeholder views on virtual parent-led peer support groups. Given the increased burden faced by parents of children with eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, the second goal is to study whether the national implementation of virtual parent-led peer support groups helps to mitigate the impact of the pandemic among affected parents. The investigators will use qualitative semi-structured interviews to gather an understanding of the impact of the pandemic on relevant stakeholders across the country. At the same time, the investigators will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the implementation of virtual parent-led peer support groups in several regions of Canada by examining parent and parent peer support provider experiences.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
120
Engage parents in the community via this support group, so they can be supported by other parents who "know the system", can advise them on how to proceed, and empower them to help their children. Parents will learn psychoeducation about eating disorders and how to support their children.
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
IWK Health Centre
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Parent, youth, clinician, and administrator perspectives on and experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic and children, youth, and families with eating disorders
Perspectives and experiences qualitatively measured by semi-structured individual interviews with participants with lived experience or expertise in pediatric eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months later
Parent, youth, clinician, and administrator perspectives on virtual parent-led peer support groups to help mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19 on children, youth, and families with eating disorders across Canada
Perspectives qualitatively measured by semi-structured individual interviews with participants with lived experience or expertise in pediatric eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months later
Parent, youth, clinician, and administrator perspectives on factors important for implementing and sustaining virtual parent-led peer support groups
Perspectives qualitatively measured by semi-structured individual interviews with participants with lived experience or expertise in pediatric eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months later
Change in number of parents who remain in the support group (Retention Rate)
The investigators will compare the number of parents who consent to participate in the support group and study to the number of parents who have completed the support group and study, 3 months later.
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months later
Number of support groups each parent attends (Attendance Rate)
The investigators will take note of how many support groups (out of 6) each parent attends in a 3 month period.
Time frame: 3 months after baseline
Change in self-reported parental burden
Parental burden will be assessed using the Eating Disorders Symptom Impact Scale (EDSIS) - a 24 item measure examining the impact of symptoms on parents' lives. Minimum score is 0, maximum score is 96. A higher score indicates that the child's eating disorder symptoms are having a greater impact on their parent (more burdensome).
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months later
Change in self-reported needs as a parent of a child with an eating disorder
Parental needs will be assessed using the Carers Needs Assessment Measure (CaNAM), a 47-item questionnaire examining information received about eating disorders, support received from other people and organizations, support for self, and areas where help is needed. The minimum score is 0, the maximum score is 64. A higher score indicates that the carer has received sufficient information and support for themselves and their child.
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months later
Change in self-reported parental self efficacy and collaboration
Parental self-efficacy and collaboration will be assessed using the Patient and Carer Collaboration Scale -C (PACCS), a 33-item questionnaire examining constructs such as hope, self-care and compassion, externalization of the eating disorder, and boundaries. Each question is evaluated on a scale of 0 to 100, where higher values indicate positive collaboration with their child and higher parental self efficacy.
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Change in Readiness
The Brief Individual Readiness to Change Scale will indicate how ready parent peer support providers feel they are to change. Higher scores indicate greater readiness to use research-based direct service techniques. Minimum score is 0, maximum score is 20.
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Change in Attitudes about Evidence Based Practice
Their attitudes about evidence-based practice will be assessed using the Evidence Based Practice Attitudes Scale (EBPAS). The subscales include requirements, appeal, openness and divergence. The score for each subscale is created by computing a mean score for the items that load on a given subscale. Minimum score for each subscale is 0, maximum score for each subscale is 4.
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Change in Confidence related to the Intervention
Their confidence related to the intervention will be assessed by administering an adapted version of the Perceived Attributes of the Principles of Effectiveness Scale (MPAS). Higher scores are indicative of more favorable perception for virtual parent led peer support group content. The minimum score is 18, the maximum score is 90.
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Self-Reported Fidelity to Peer Support
Parent peer support providers leading the virtual parent-led peer support groups will complete a self-reported measure related to rating their fidelity to peer support, outlining their adherence to peer support principles. The minimum score is 14, the maximum score is 70.
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months later
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