Parents’ perceptions of changes in family relationships during family-
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Parents perceptions of changes in family relationships during family based treatment for anorexia nervosa.
IRAS ID
271502
Contact name
Kirsty Darwent
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Family therapy training network
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 9 days
Research summary
Treatment for anorexia nervosa has been a notoriously difficult area to research, with studies predominantly focussing on investigating the efficacy of treatments using randomised controlled trials. These have been significant in establishing manualised family-based treatment (FBT) (Lock and Le Grange 2001) as the evidence-based therapy for adolescent anorexia nervosa (Couturier et al 2013), with the involvement of parents in therapy being recognised as one of the key factors in achieving a positive outcome (Eisler et al 2000; Eisler et al 2005; Lock 2002; Lock et al 2006; Russell et al 1987), however,
despite FBT being the gold standard treatment, a number of families either discontinue with FBT, or the treatment does not work for them.
There is a significant gap in current research, looking at the impact on family relationships and how family members renegotiate their roles and responsibilities during treatment.
This study aims to explore the lived experience for parents of having a young person with anorexia nervosa. The primary research question is to explore parents’ perceptions of changes in family relationships during FBT. In carrying out this research there is a potential for increasing our understanding of relational challenges within FBT and in shaping the focus of discussions within the early phases of treatment.
The study will be carried out in NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and will include parents who have a young person with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and have completed family based treatment, or are in the final phase of treatment.Semi structured interviews will be carried out with a sample of 6 participants.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/EM/0032
Date of REC Opinion
6 Jan 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion