Multifamily Guided Self-Help Family-Based Treatment (MF-GSH-FBT)
Condition: Anorexia Nervosa
MeSH terms: Anorexia; Anorexia Nervosa
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This is a study testing whether an online Multifamily Guided Self-Help Family Based Treatment
      (FBT) for Anorexia Nervosa in adolescents aged 12 to 17 is acceptable and useful to families.
      This online Multifamily Guided Self-Help version of FBT consists of 12 weekly 60-minute
      telemedicine groups made up of parents from 4-5 families of young people with AN, coupled
      with access to an online guided self-help platform over the course of 6 months. The
      feasibility of online Guided Self-Help Family-Based Treatment for Anorexia is unknown, and
      the investigators hope to identify an adequate treatment for those who do not have access to
      in-person FBT.
    

Detailed description: 
      Previous research has shown that Family-Based Treatment (FBT) is an effective treatment for
      Anorexia Nervosa. In the first Phase of FBT, parents are encouraged to take charge of the
      process of renourishing their child with Anorexia. Then, once the young person with Anorexia
      becomes better nourished and is managing to eat in a more sustainable way, the treatment
      moves to Phase 2. In Phase 2 of FBT, the focus is on helping parents to step back and support
      their child to regain their independence around eating. Once this happens, the treatment
      moves to Phase 3, where the family begins to move forward with their lives in a normal way,
      no longer focused on the eating disorder.

      The investigators hope to learn whether an adaptation of FBT, called online Multi-Family
      Guided Self-Help FBT, is feasible and acceptable for families of young people with Anorexia.

      The 'Self-Help' aspect of the treatment consists of a series of educational videos about how
      to help a child with Anorexia, which parents watch on an online platform. The 'Multifamily'
      and 'Guided' aspects of the treatment consists of weekly meetings by Zoom for a group of
      parents of young people with Anorexia, with a facilitator present to guide a group discussion
      around whether parents feel they understood the content of the videos and whether the content
      is helpful.
    

Intervention name(s): Multi-Family Guided Self-Help FBT
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Previous research has shown that Family-Based Treatment (FBT) is an effective treatment for Anorexia. We hope to learn whether an adaptation of Family-Based Treatment (FBT), called online Multi-Family Guided Self-Help FBT, is feasible and acceptable for families of young people with Anorexia. The 'Self-Help' aspect of the treatment consists of a series of educational videos for parents about how to help their child with Anorexia, which parents watch on an online platform. The 'Multifamily' and 'Guided' aspects of the treatment consists of weekly meetings by Zoom for a group of parents of young people with Anorexia, with a facilitator present to guide a group discussion around whether parents feel they understood the content of the videos and whether the content is helpful.
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment