Clinician perspective on parental empowerment in family‐based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa

Abstract

This qualitative study explored which core principles of family-based treatment (FBT) for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) are perceived as most necessary for FBT to be effective in clinical practice. Paediatric interdisciplinary teams were recruited to discuss the delivery of FBT in eating disorder programmes in Ontario, Canada (N 5 6). Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data generated from focus groups. Three major themes emerged: (i) parental empowerment (PE) is the most salient principle of FBT; (ii) various adolescent, parental and family factors are viewed as interfering with or enhancing PE; (iii) a variety of clinical interventions are utilized by clinicians to cultivate and increase PE. PE is identified as essential for adolescents with AN to successfully recover. Greater focus on addressing barriers to empowering parents is needed throughout FBT. Future studies should include measurements of PE to ascertain effects on treatment outcomes. Training and supervision protocols focused on promoting PE are recommended.

Brief Emotion Focused Family Therapy: An Intervention for Parents of Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Issues

“…Given that parental self‐efficacy is regarded as a key mechanism of change in a child's recovery (Byrne, Accurso, Arnow, Lock, & Le Grange, ; Dimitropoulos, Freeman, Lock, & Le Grange, ; Lafrance Robinson, McCague, & Whissell, ; Lafrance Robinson et al., ), this is an important finding and suggests that parental self‐efficacy should be included as a variable in studies of child mental health. Parent self‐efficacy pre‐intervention means in this study were very low, similar to those reported pre‐intervention ( M = 18.56, SD = 3.39) in Lafrance Robinson et al.…”

“…The results also suggest that the EFFT intervention improved parental self-efficacy with respect to their active involvement in their child's treatment. Given that parental self-efficacy is regarded as a key mechanism of change in a child's recovery (Byrne, Accurso, Arnow, Lock, & Le Grange, 2015;Dimitropoulos, Freeman, Lock, & Le Grange, 2015;Lafrance Robinson, McCague, & Whissell, 2012;Lafrance Robinson et al, 2015), this is an important finding and suggests that parental self-efficacy should be included as a variable in studies of child mental health. Parent self-efficacy pre-intervention means in this study were very low, similar to those reported pre-intervention (M = 18.56, SD = 3.39) in Lafrance , suggesting that low levels of self-efficacy may be common among parents with a child experiencing mental health difficulties.…”

Family Therapy for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders: A Critical Review

“…By contrast, Robinson, Strahan, Girz, Wilson, and Boachie (2013) found that parental self-efficacy increased over the course of FBT, and that increases in parental selfefficacy over treatment were correlated with reductions in adolescent eating pathology. From a clinician perspective, parental empowerment is also seen as key ingredient of FBT (Dimitropoulos, Freeman, Lock, & Le Grange, 2015), although this might be seen as somewhat circular in that empowerment is a key theme within the treatment model.…”

Telehealth transition in a comprehensive care unit for eating disorders: Challenges and long‐term benefits

“…Sully agreed to work towards leaving the video on for incrementally longer periods of time and attending group sessions using exposure and response prevention techniques. Here, remote sessions provided an opportunity for gradually expanding Sully's comfort level by promoting tolerable exposures.The mobilization of families and parental empowerment is essential to the recovery process in youth with EDs(Dimitropoulos, Freeman, Lock, & Le Grange, 2017). At times, due to competing obligations and geographical challenges, family members are not able to physically attend family sessions or meals on the unit.Using Zoom increases access for family members integral in renourishment.…”