Online peer support for families taking care of patients with an eating disorder: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Family caregivers of patients with eating disorders experience high levels of caregiving difficulties accompanied by poor mental health and have a strong need for peer support. This study aimed to devise a training program of peer supporter and assess the effects of subsequent consultation meetings on mental status and perceived care burden among family caregivers of patients with eating disorders. Methods: We devised a training program and trained family peer supporters. We then performed a randomized controlled trial comparing consultations with family peer supporters (intervention group) with waiting before a meeting (control group). Outcome measures were negative mood as evaluated by Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) on the Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition (POMS 2), and perceived care burden assessed by the short version of the Japanese version of the Zarit Burden Interview (J-ZBI_8). We sent questionnaires to consultees three times (on entry and before and after consultation) for the control group and twice (before and after the consultation) for the intervention group. We were able to analyze 36 members of the intervention group and 32 members of the control group. Results: One-time, one-on-one, online, and 40-minute consultations with peer supporters went smoothly without any adverse events. We found no significant difference in changes in POMS2 TMD scores or J-ZBI_8 between the intervention and control groups. Multiple regression analysis using data from before and after the consultations from both groups showed that the changes in consultees’ POMS2 TMD scores as an improvement in negative mood were predicted by the high POMS2 TMD score before the consultation, the severity of the current body mass index of the patient, and the high score of the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Most consultees reported being relieved and obtaining knowledge from peer supporters about how to manage problems associated with eating disorders. Conclusions: Peer supporters trained by our program had consultation meetings with consultees without any adverse events. We found no significant effect of peer support interventions on negative mood or caregiver burden. We instead identified factors predicting the effectiveness of peer support. These findings suggest the need for some improvements before reexamining this theme.