Sibling Inclusion in Family Therapy for Anorexia (FT-AN): Version 1.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring clinician, parent/carer, sibling, and young person perspectives on the inclusion of siblings in Family Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (FT-AN).
IRAS ID
339848
Contact name
Dale Batham
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
NA, NA
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 31 days
Research summary
Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa (AN) can have a serious impact not just on the young person affected, but on the whole family – including siblings. Research shows that siblings often feel confused, worried, and left out, and some struggle with their own mental health but try to hide it to avoid adding to their parents’ stress. Many siblings say they want more information, support, and involvement in their sibling’s care. At the same time, some siblings also experience positive personal growth through these challenges.
Family Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (FT-AN) is the recommended treatment for young people with AN in the United Kingdom (UK). This approach encourages the whole family to work together to support recovery. However, research and feedback from families suggest that despite it being recommended sibling inclusion is often inconsistent. When siblings are included, it's not always clear how helpful it is, or what makes it easier or harder for them to take part.
Therefore, this research ask's what are the barriers and facilitators to sibling inclusion in FT-AN, and how useful is sibling involvement. We will explore this through qualitative interviews with four groups who have experience of FT-AN 1) young people with AN, 2) siblings, 3) parents/carers, and 4) clinicians working in eating disorder services. We want to hear their views and experiences to understand what works well and what could be improved.
The study will take place within NHS eating disorder services in London and will last around 12 months. Each participant will take part in a one-off interview, either in person or remotely, lasting up to an hour.
By learning from these different perspectives, the study hopes to improve support for siblings, help make family therapy more inclusive, and strengthen recovery for everyone affected by eating disorders
This study forms part of a doctoral training programme is funded by King's College London.
REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/NW/0313
Date of REC Opinion
4 Dec 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion