Eating DisordersvPLPSGNCT05151900
Implementing Virtual Parent Support Groups for Eating Disorders Across Canada
A study testing Support Group for Caregivers in people with Eating Disorders, run by McMaster University at 3 sites in Canada.
Trial summary
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has experienced a surge in new pediatric eating disorder cases and hospitalizations and long treatment waitlists, with parents experiencing anxiety due to a lack of support. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 12 to 100 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Eating Disorders
- What is being tested?
- Support Group for Caregivers
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 120 participants
- Where
- 3 sitesCanada
- Study dates
- 1 May 2022to 31 Mar 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 12 to 100 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Have the capacity to write, speak and understand English
- Have access to a computer and internet
- Among parents enrolled in the virtual parent-led peer support groups, they must have a child or adolescent (<18 years of age) diagnosed with an eating disorder
- Among youth and parents of youth with an eating disorder in the qualitative interviews component of the study, they/their child must either be on a waiting list for eating disorder treatment, actively in treatment, or post-treatment; the youth must be <18 years of age and the parent must have a child <18 years of age
- Among clinician/administrators in the qualitative interviews component of the study, they must work within pediatric eating disorder programs or lifespan eating disorder programs.
Who cannot join
- No lived or professional experience in the field of eating disorders
- Don't have the capacity to write, speak and understand English
- Don't have access to the internet/computer
Trial locations and contacts
3 sites in 1 country.
Canada3 sites
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta
IWK Health Centre
Halifax, Nova Scotia
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario
About this study
Official title: Understanding and Mitigating the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children, Youth, and Families Living With an Eating Disorder: A National Implementation Study of a Virtual Parent-Led Peer Support Intervention
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has experienced a surge in new pediatric eating disorder cases and hospitalizations and long treatment waitlists, with parents experiencing anxiety due to a lack of support. As it has not been rigorously studied, there is an urgent need to understand and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, youth, and families living with eating disorders across Canada. The investigator's proposed research has two goals. First, the investigators plan to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic faced by this population throughout the country, as well as describe stakeholder views on virtual parent-led peer support groups. Given the increased burden faced by parents of children with eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, the second goal is to study whether the national implementation of virtual parent-led peer support groups helps to mitigate the impact of the pandemic among affected parents. The investigators will use qualitative semi-structured interviews to gather an understanding of the impact of the pandemic on relevant stakeholders across the country. At the same time, the investigators will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the implementation of virtual parent-led peer support groups in several regions of Canada by examining parent and parent peer support provider experiences.
- Conditions
- Eating Disorders
- Being tested
- Support Group for Caregivers
- Keywords
- eating disorder, parent support group, COVID-19
- Medical subject headings
- Feeding and Eating Disorders, COVID-19
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Support Group for CaregiversBehavioural
Engage parents in the community via this support group, so they can be supported by other parents who "know the system", can advise them on how to proceed, and empower them to help their children. Parents will learn psychoeducation about eating disorders and how to support their children.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Stakeholder Perspectives and Virtual Parent-Led Peer Support Group | Experimental | Qualitative interviews regarding the impact of COVID-19 will be conducted with youth who have an eating disorder (ED), parents of youth who have an ED, ED clinicians and ED program administrators, as well as get their perspectives on parent-led peer support groups. Three parent-led peer support groups will be started, including psychoeducation in a virtual group setting for parents who have a child or adolescent with an eating disorder. Receives: Behavioral: Support Group for Caregivers |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Parent, youth, clinician, and administrator perspectives on and experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic and children, youth, and families with eating disorders
Perspectives and experiences qualitatively measured by semi-structured individual interviews with participants with lived experience or expertise in pediatric eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months later
Parent, youth, clinician, and administrator perspectives on virtual parent-led peer support groups to help mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19 on children, youth, and families with eating disorders across Canada
Perspectives qualitatively measured by semi-structured individual interviews with participants with lived experience or expertise in pediatric eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months later
Parent, youth, clinician, and administrator perspectives on factors important for implementing and sustaining virtual parent-led peer support groups
Perspectives qualitatively measured by semi-structured individual interviews with participants with lived experience or expertise in pediatric eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months later
Secondary outcomes (9)
Change in number of parents who remain in the support group (Retention Rate)
The investigators will compare the number of parents who consent to participate in the support group and study to the number of parents who have completed the support group and study, 3 months later.
Measured: Baseline and 3 months later
Number of support groups each parent attends (Attendance Rate)
The investigators will take note of how many support groups (out of 6) each parent attends in a 3 month period.
Measured: 3 months after baseline
Change in self-reported parental burden
Parental burden will be assessed using the Eating Disorders Symptom Impact Scale (EDSIS) - a 24 item measure examining the impact of symptoms on parents' lives. Minimum score is 0, maximum score is 96. A higher score indicates that the child's eating disorder symptoms are having a greater impact on their parent (more burdensome).
Measured: Baseline and 3 months later
Change in self-reported needs as a parent of a child with an eating disorder
Parental needs will be assessed using the Carers Needs Assessment Measure (CaNAM), a 47-item questionnaire examining information received about eating disorders, support received from other people and organizations, support for self, and areas where help is needed. The minimum score is 0, the maximum score is 64. A higher score indicates that the carer has received sufficient information and support for themselves and their child.
Measured: Baseline and 3 months later
Change in self-reported parental self efficacy and collaboration
Parental self-efficacy and collaboration will be assessed using the Patient and Carer Collaboration Scale -C (PACCS), a 33-item questionnaire examining constructs such as hope, self-care and compassion, externalization of the eating disorder, and boundaries. Each question is evaluated on a scale of 0 to 100, where higher values indicate positive collaboration with their child and higher parental self efficacy.
Measured: Baseline and 3 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Change in Readiness
The Brief Individual Readiness to Change Scale will indicate how ready parent peer support providers feel they are to change. Higher scores indicate greater readiness to use research-based direct service techniques. Minimum score is 0, maximum score is 20.
Measured: Baseline and 6 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Change in Attitudes about Evidence Based Practice
Their attitudes about evidence-based practice will be assessed using the Evidence Based Practice Attitudes Scale (EBPAS). The subscales include requirements, appeal, openness and divergence. The score for each subscale is created by computing a mean score for the items that load on a given subscale. Minimum score for each subscale is 0, maximum score for each subscale is 4.
Measured: Baseline and 6 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Change in Confidence related to the Intervention
Their confidence related to the intervention will be assessed by administering an adapted version of the Perceived Attributes of the Principles of Effectiveness Scale (MPAS). Higher scores are indicative of more favorable perception for virtual parent led peer support group content. The minimum score is 18, the maximum score is 90.
Measured: Baseline and 6 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Self-Reported Fidelity to Peer Support
Parent peer support providers leading the virtual parent-led peer support groups will complete a self-reported measure related to rating their fidelity to peer support, outlining their adherence to peer support principles. The minimum score is 14, the maximum score is 70.
Measured: Baseline and 6 months later
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Dec 2021
- Study start1 May 2022
- Primary completion31 Mar 2024
- Study completion31 Mar 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Eating DisordersStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- McMaster University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jennifer Couturier, McMaster University
- Investigators
- Jennifer Couturier, MD MSc, Principal investigator, McMaster University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05151900
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 14196
- Acronym
- vPLPSG
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 29 Oct 2021
- Last updated
- 4 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Understanding and Mitigating the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children, Youth, and Families Living With an Eating Disorder: A National Implementation Study of a Virtual Parent-Led Peer Support Intervention
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05151900
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- vPLPSG / 14196
- Conditions
- Eating Disorders
- Keywords
- eating disorder, parent support group, COVID-19
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- McMaster UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 May 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Mar 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Mar 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 9 Dec 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has experienced a surge in new pediatric eating disorder cases and hospitalizations and long treatment waitlists, with parents experiencing anxiety due to a lack of support. As it has not been rigorously studied, there is an urgent need to understand and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, youth, and families living with eating disorders across Canada. The investigator's proposed research has two goals. First, the investigators plan to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic faced by this population throughout the country, as well as describe stakeholder views on virtual parent-led peer support groups. Given the increased burden faced by parents of children with eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, the second goal is to study whether the national implementation of virtual parent-led peer support groups helps to mitigate the impact of the pandemic among affected parents. The investigators will use qualitative semi-structured interviews to gather an understanding of the impact of the pandemic on relevant stakeholders across the country. At the same time, the investigators will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the implementation of virtual parent-led peer support groups in several regions of Canada by examining parent and parent peer support provider experiences.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Stakeholder Perspectives and Virtual Parent-Led Peer Support Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Support Group for CaregiversQualitative interviews regarding the impact of COVID-19 will be conducted with youth who have an eating disorder (ED), parents of youth who have an ED, ED clinicians and ED program administrators, as well as get their perspectives on parent-led peer support groups. Three parent-led peer support groups will be started, including psychoeducation in a virtual group setting for parents who have a child or adolescent with an eating disorder. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 12 to 100 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Have the capacity to write, speak and understand English
- Have access to a computer and internet
- Among parents enrolled in the virtual parent-led peer support groups, they must have a child or adolescent (<18 years of age) diagnosed with an eating disorder
- Among youth and parents of youth with an eating disorder in the qualitative interviews component of the study, they/their child must either be on a waiting list for eating disorder treatment, actively in treatment, or post-treatment; the youth must be <18 years of age and the parent must have a child <18 years of age
- Among clinician/administrators in the qualitative interviews component of the study, they must work within pediatric eating disorder programs or lifespan eating disorder programs.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- No lived or professional experience in the field of eating disorders
- Don't have the capacity to write, speak and understand English
- Don't have access to the internet/computer
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Support Group for CaregiversEngage parents in the community via this support group, so they can be supported by other parents who "know the system", can advise them on how to proceed, and empower them to help their children. Parents will learn psychoeducation about eating disorders and how to support their children. | Behavioural | Stakeholder Perspectives and Virtual Parent-Led Peer Support Group |
Primary outcome
Parent, youth, clinician, and administrator perspectives on and experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic and children, youth, and families with eating disorders
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months later
Perspectives and experiences qualitatively measured by semi-structured individual interviews with participants with lived experience or expertise in pediatric eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parent, youth, clinician, and administrator perspectives on virtual parent-led peer support groups to help mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19 on children, youth, and families with eating disorders across Canada
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months later
Perspectives qualitatively measured by semi-structured individual interviews with participants with lived experience or expertise in pediatric eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parent, youth, clinician, and administrator perspectives on factors important for implementing and sustaining virtual parent-led peer support groups
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months later
Perspectives qualitatively measured by semi-structured individual interviews with participants with lived experience or expertise in pediatric eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
9 secondary outcomes
Change in number of parents who remain in the support group (Retention Rate)
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months later
Number of support groups each parent attends (Attendance Rate)
Time frame: 3 months after baseline
Change in self-reported parental burden
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months later
Change in self-reported needs as a parent of a child with an eating disorder
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months later
Change in self-reported parental self efficacy and collaboration
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Change in Readiness
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Change in Attitudes about Evidence Based Practice
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Change in Confidence related to the Intervention
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Self-Reported Fidelity to Peer Support
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months later
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 4 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Jennifer Couturier, MD MSc principal investigator
McMaster University
3 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Support Group for Caregivers in people with Eating Disorders, run by McMaster University at 3 sites in Canada.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 3 sites in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Parent, youth, clinician, and administrator perspectives on and experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic and children, youth, and families with eating disorders (time frame: Baseline to 6 months later). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 May 2026.