Implementing Virtual Parent Support Groups for Eating Disorders Across Canada (vPLPSG)

April 28, 2026 updated by: Jennifer Couturier, McMaster University

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.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
120

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Canada
    • Alberta
      • Calgary, Alberta, Canada
        • University of Calgary
    • Nova Scotia
      • Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
        • IWK Health Centre
    • Ontario
      • Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
        • McMaster University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

12 years to 100 years (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 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.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • 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

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Stakeholder Perspectives and Virtual Parent-Led Peer Support Group
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.
Behavioral: Support Group for Caregivers
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.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
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.
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
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.
Baseline to 6 months later
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.
Baseline to 6 months later

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in number of parents who remain in the support group (Retention Rate)
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months later
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.
Baseline and 3 months later
Number of support groups each parent attends (Attendance Rate)
Time Frame: 3 months after baseline
The investigators will take note of how many support groups (out of 6) each parent attends in a 3 month period.
3 months after baseline
Change in self-reported parental burden
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months later
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).
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
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.
Baseline and 3 months later
Change in self-reported parental self efficacy and collaboration
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months later
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.
Baseline and 3 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Change in Readiness
Time Frame: Baseline and 6 months later
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.
Baseline and 6 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Change in Attitudes about Evidence Based Practice
Time Frame: Baseline and 6 months later
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.
Baseline and 6 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Change in Confidence related to the Intervention
Time Frame: Baseline and 6 months later
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.
Baseline and 6 months later
Parent Peer Support Providers' Self-Reported Fidelity to Peer Support
Time Frame: Baseline and 6 months later
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.
Baseline and 6 months later

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Parent participant experiences
Time Frame: After 3 months in groups
Virtual parent-led peer support group experiences of parents participants, qualitatively measured by semi-structured individual interviews with parents after 3 months in virtual parent-led peer support groups.
After 3 months in groups
Parent Peer Support Provider experiences
Time Frame: After 6 months leading groups
Virtual parent-led peer support group experiences of parent peer support providers, qualitatively measured by semi-structured focus group with virtual parent-led peer support groups and a focus group with parent peer support providers after 6 months of leading groups.
After 6 months leading groups

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
McMaster University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Jennifer Couturier, MD MSc, McMaster University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 1, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 31, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 29, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 26, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
December 9, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 4, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 28, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 14196

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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