Understanding parents’ experiences of caring for a child with an ED
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Using the common sense model of illness to understand parents’ experiences of caring for a child with an Eating Disorder.
IRAS ID
304323
Contact name
Vilas Sawrikar
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
College of Arts, humanities and Social Sciences University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 9 months, 2 days
Research summary
Background -
Parents play an important role in the development, maintenance and recovery of a child with an Eating Disorder (ED). Although research on individuals experiencing ED have grown in recent years, there is a lack of understanding into the parents’ perception of ED and how this affects their coping skills and wellbeing. Parents are integral to the care of their children with ED, but often they are not provided with additional support needed to develop their own coping skills. So far, parents are involved in the treatment delivery like Family Based Therapy, but there is limited support for their own wellbeing.Aim -
This research aims to understand parents’ experiences in order to help future families and the NHS to find better interventions.Methods -
We are going to ask 84 parents who have children aged between 12 to 18 years old with eating difficulties to complete some online questionnaires. These questionnaires will be anonymous to ensure privacy for participants and are expected to take 40 minutes to complete. Parents eligible to take part in this study will be recruited in CAMHS services and relevant charities such as BEAT or social media. Eligible participants can be introduced to the project by their clinicians before a self-referral is completed. Flyers will be placed on social media and in waiting rooms for self-referrals. These questionnaires aim to investigate how parents perceive the ED of their child and how these perceptions impact on their coping skills and their wellbeing. This research will use a quantitative approach to analyse the data collected.Expected results -
Results will promote insights into lived experiences concerning specific parental thoughts, coping strategies and mental health impact related to their child’s ED. This knowledge can be utilised to further develop programs to help affected families.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/YH/0287
Date of REC Opinion
13 Dec 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion