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Peer mentoring for individuals with an eating disorder: a qualitative evaluation of a pilot program.

ABSTRACT: Background:After receiving intensive medical treatment; individuals with eating disorders often require ongoing care to maintain their recovery, build social networks, and reduce risk of relapse. Methods:To address this important transition period, a six-month peer mentoring program was developed and piloted in Melbourne, Australia. Twelve adults with a past history of an eating disorder (mentors) were paired with 14 individuals with a current eating disorder (mentees). Pairs met for thirteen mentoring sessions in community settings. Throughout the program mentees and mentors completed reflective questions online. Upon completion of the program, qualitative interviews were conducted. Both online reflections and interviews explored themes relating to perceived benefits and challenges of participation in the peer mentoring program, and the differences between mentoring and traditional treatment. Results:Thematic analysis identified several benefits for mentees; including hope, reconnection with others, and re-engaging with the world. The majority of mentees described their mentor as uniquely supportive due to their past experience of an eating disorder. Mentors reported experiencing benefits such as increased connection with self and others, and indicated that the experience helped them positively reframe their past experience of an eating disorder. Ending the relationship at the completion of the program was a significant challenge for both groups, and managing boundaries was deemed a main challenge by mentors. Conclusions:Overall, results indicated that this mode of informal support may be worthy of further investigation as an adjunct to clinical treatment programs for this population. Trial registration:Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials registration number - ACTRN12617001412325 - Date of registration - 05/10/2017 (Retrospectively registered).

SUBMITTER: Hanly F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7329554 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Peer mentoring for individuals with an eating disorder: a qualitative evaluation of a pilot program.

Hanly Freya F Torrens-Witherow Benjamin B Warren Narelle N Castle David D Phillipou Andrea A Beveridge Jennifer J Jenkins Zoe Z Newton Richard R Brennan Leah L

Journal of eating disorders 20200701

<h4>Background</h4>After receiving intensive medical treatment; individuals with eating disorders often require ongoing care to maintain their recovery, build social networks, and reduce risk of relapse.<h4>Methods</h4>To address this important transition period, a six-month peer mentoring program was developed and piloted in Melbourne, Australia. Twelve adults with a past history of an eating disorder (mentors) were paired with 14 individuals with a current eating disorder (mentees). Pairs met ...[more]

PMID: 32626579

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Project description:BackgroundEating disorders (EDs) are serious psychiatric illnesses that have high rates of morbidity and mortality, and low long-term recovery rates. Peer mentor programs (PMPs) have been associated with reduced psychiatric hospitalisation and shorter lengths of stay for those with other severe mental illnesses. The present study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a PMP for individuals with EDs in improving symptomatology and quality of life.MethodsThirty mentees and seventeen mentors were recruited. The PMP involved thirteen sessions over 6 months. Participants completed measures assessing ED symptomatology, quality of life (QoL), mood and perceived disability. Changes in symptomatology before and after the PMP were tested by Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for qualitative evaluation of the PMP.ResultsThe program was deemed to have moderate feasibility with eight of 30 mentees, and two of 17 mentors withdrawing. Completion rates ranged from 2 to 16 sessions, and between 3 and 45 weeks. Mentees demonstrated improvements in body mass index, QoL, ED symptomatology, mood (depression, anxiety and tension/stress) and perceived disability from pre- to post-program. Mentors demonstrated significant increases in ED symptomatology, but no worsening of QoL, mood or perceived disability. Qualitative findings from both mentees and mentors were positive: emergent themes included hope for recovery, a sense of agency and inspiration gained from interaction with someone with lived experience of an ED.ConclusionsThis pilot study suggests feasibility of the PMP for individuals with EDs. Mentees demonstrated improvements in ED symptomatology, QoL, mood and perceived disability. However, the increase in ED symptomatology reported by the mentors over the PMP highlights potential risks and the need for thorough monitoring while preliminary evaluation is undertaken. The mentoring relationship was a positive experience for both mentees and mentors, instilling an increased hope for recovery in mentees and an opportunity for mentors to reflect on their own recovery with increased confidence. The novel relationship formed throughout mentorship highlights a potential gap in current clinical support services, which warrants further exploration within a controlled trial.Trial registrationAustralian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registration Number: ACTRN12617001412325. Retrospectively registered: 05/10/2017. Date of first enrolment: 20/01/2017. https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=373741&isReview=true.

Project description:To examine the feasibility and potential benefits of early peer support to improve the health and quality of life of individuals with early inflammatory arthritis (EIA).Feasibility study using the 2008 Medical Research Council framework as a theoretical basis. A literature review, environmental scan, and interviews with patients, families and healthcare providers guided the development of peer mentor training sessions and a peer-to-peer mentoring programme. Peer mentors were trained and paired with a mentee to receive (face-to-face or telephone) support over 12 weeks.Two academic teaching hospitals in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Nine pairs consisting of one peer mentor and one mentee were matched based on factors such as age and work status.Mentee outcomes of disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)/biological treatment use, self-efficacy, self-management, health-related quality of life, anxiety, coping efficacy, social support and disease activity were measured using validated tools. Descriptive statistics and effect sizes were calculated to determine clinically important (>0.3) changes. Peer mentor self-efficacy was assessed using a self-efficacy scale. Interviews conducted with participants examined acceptability and feasibility of procedures and outcome measures, as well as perspectives on the value of peer support for individuals with EIA. Themes were identified through constant comparison.Mentees experienced improvements in the overall arthritis impact on life, coping efficacy and social support (effect size >0.3). Mentees also perceived emotional, informational, appraisal and instrumental support. Mentors also reported benefits and learnt from mentees' fortitude and self-management skills. The training was well received by mentors. Their self-efficacy increased significantly after training completion. Participants' experience of peer support was informed by the unique relationship with their peer. All participants were unequivocal about the need for peer support for individuals with EIA.The intervention was well received. Training, peer support programme and outcome measures were demonstrated to be feasible with modifications. Early peer support may augment current rheumatological care.NCT01054963, NCT01054131.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is a critical component of a healthy lifestyle for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, most individuals are not sufficiently active to accrue health benefits. The Active Living Lifestyles program for individuals with SCI who use manual wheelchairs (ALLWheel) targets important psychological factors that are associated with LTPA uptake and adherence while overcoming some barriers associated with participation restrictions. OBJECTIVE:The goal of the paper is to describe the protocol for the development and evaluation of the ALLWheel program for individuals with SCI who use manual wheelchairs. METHODS:The first three stages of the Medical Research Council framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions (ie, preclinical, modeling, exploratory) are described. The preclinical phase will consist of scoping and systematic reviews and review of theory. The intervention will be modeled by expert opinions and consensus through focus groups and Delphi surveys with individuals with SCI, clinicians, and community partners. Finally, the feasibility and potential influence of the ALLWheel program on LTPA and psychological outcomes will be evaluated. RESULTS:This project is funded by the Craig H Neilsen Foundation, the Fonds de Recherche du Québec-Santé, and the Canadian Disability Participation Project and is currently underway. CONCLUSIONS:Using peer trainers and mobile phone technology may help to cultivate autonomy-supportive environments that also enhance self-efficacy. Following a framework for developing and evaluating a novel intervention that includes input from stakeholders at all stages will ensure the final product (ie, a replicable intervention) is desirable to knowledge users and ready for evaluation in a randomized controlled trial. If effective, the ALLWheel program has the potential to reach a large number of individuals with SCI to promote LTPA uptake and adherence. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID):DERR1-10.2196/10798.

Project description:BackgroundDespite ongoing efforts to introduce evidence-based interventions (EBIs) into mental health care settings, little research has focused on the sustainability of EBIs in these settings. College campuses are a natural place to intervene with young adults who are at high risk for mental health disorders, including eating disorders. The current study tested the effect of three levels of implementation support on the sustainability of an evidence-based group eating disorder prevention program, the Body Project, delivered by peer educators. We also tested whether intervention, contextual, or implementation process factors predicted sustainability.MethodsWe recruited 63 colleges with peer educator programs and randomly assigned them to (a) receive a 2-day Train-the-Trainer (TTT) training in which peer educators were trained to implement the Body Project and supervisors were taught how to train future peer educators (TTT), (b) TTT training plus a technical assistance (TA) workshop (TTT + TA), or (c) TTT plus the TA workshop and quality assurance (QA) consultations over 1-year (TTT + TA + QA). We tested whether implementation support strategies, perceived characteristics of the intervention and attitudes towards evidence-based interventions at baseline and the proportion of completed implementation activities during the implementation year predicted three school-level dichotomous sustainability outcomes (offering Body Project groups, training peer educators, training supervisors) over the subsequent two-year sustainability period using logistic regression models.ResultsImplementation support strategies did not significantly predict any sustainability outcomes, although a trend suggested that colleges randomized to the TTT + TA + QA strategy were more likely to train new supervisors (OR = 5.46, 95% CI [0.89-33.38]). Colleges that completed a greater proportion of implementation activities were more likely to offer Body Project groups (OR = 1.53, 95% CI [1.19-1.98]) and train new peer educators during the sustainability phase (OR = 1.39, 95% CI [1.10-1.74]). Perceived positive characteristics of the Body Project predicted training new peer educators (OR = 18.42, 95% CI [1.48-299.66]), which may be critical for sustainability in routine settings with high provider turnover.ConclusionsHelping schools complete more implementation activities and increasing the perceived positive characteristics of a prevention program may result in greater sustainment of prevention program implementation.Trial registrationThis study was preregistered on 12/07/17 with ClinicalTrials.gov, ID NCT03409809, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03409809 .

Dataset Information

Peer mentoring for individuals with an eating disorder: a qualitative evaluation of a pilot program.

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Peer mentoring for individuals with an eating disorder: a qualitative evaluation of a pilot program.

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