Eating Disorders
Conditions
Keywords
Family support, Interpersonal psychotherapy
Brief summary
Eating disorders are serious mental health disorders associated with high levels of mortality, disability, physical and psychological morbidity, and impaired quality of life. Family members who spend the majority of their time with patients of eating disorders experience heavy psychological burden. Remote family support programs consist of interpersonal psychotherapy and family psychoeducation. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a remote family support program for eating disorders in an RCT (randomized controlled trial). The specific objective was to conduct a small pilot RCT of the remote family support program (n=28) compared with TAU (n=28).
Interventions
BEHAVIORALThe remote family support program
Remote family support programs consist of interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) and family psychoeducation. Each session consisted of a lecture, followed by role playing and supportive group therapy. In the first session, we informed the participants about the symptoms of eating disorders and mechanism of IPT; in the second session, we shared details about the characteristics of adolescents; and during the third and fourth sessions, we provided information on effective communication according to IPT.
Sponsors
Nagoya City University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* The research participants are parents of patients who have been diagnosed with an eating disorder by a physician or have symptoms of an eating disorder; parents may or may not be related by blood. * The ABOS score measured by the research participants at enrollment is over 8 points. * Patient age at enrollment ranged from 12 to 29 years. * The patient has lived with their parents at the time of participating in this study and is expected to live with them during the investigation period. * Patients may or may not undergo treatment. * Patients with other psychiatric comorbidities are included. * Participants with other psychiatric comorbidities are included. * If multiple family members (e.g., parents) participated in this program, the primary participant is determined, and that person becomes the target research participant. * Willingness to provide informed consent and comply with the trial protocol.
Exclusion criteria
* The participants cannot read or write in Japanese * The participants cannot use the Zoom meeting system * Researcher of this study and their families
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in the total Active Listening Attitude Scale (ALAS) score of participants | Base-line, four weeks, and eight weeks | The ALAS comprises 2 subscales and 20 items: listening attitude (10 items) and listening skills (10 items). Higher the scores indicate better listening attitudes or skills. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in the total Social Provisions Scale-10 item (SPS-10) score of participants | Base-line, four weeks, and eight weeks | Parents' perception of social support is measured using SPS-10. |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Loneliness | Base-line, four weeks, and eight weeks | Parents' loneliness is evaluated using the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (ULS). |
| Mental health | Base-line, four weeks, and eight weeks | Psychological distress experienced by the participants is assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). |
| Family functioning | Base-line, four weeks, and eight weeks | Family functioning is assessed using the Family Assessment Device (FAD). |
| Eating disorder behaviors | Base-line, four weeks, and eight weeks | Information on behaviors and attitudes of patients with eating disorders obtained from their parents is measured using the Anorectic Behavior Observation Scale (ABOS). |
Countries
Japan
Outcome results
None listed