Low intensity psychological interventions for the treatment of feeding and eating disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Feeding and eating disorders are associated with significant illness burden and costs, yet access to evidence-based care is limited. Low intensity psychological interventions have the potential to increase such access. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on the use of low intensity psychological interventions for the treatment of feeding and eating disorders. Studies comparing low intensity psychological interventions against high intensity therapies and non-eating disorder specific psychological interventions were included, as well as those with waiting list control arms. There were three primary outcomes: eating disorder psychopathology, diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM) severity specifier-related outcomes and rates of remission/recovery. RESULTS: Thirty-three studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising 3665 participants, and 30 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Compared to high intensity therapies, low intensity psychological interventions were equivalent on reducing eating disorder psychopathology (g = - 0.13), more effective at improving DSM severity specifier-related outcomes (g = - 0.15), but less likely to achieve remission/recovery (risk ratio (RR) = 0.70). Low intensity psychological interventions were superior to non-eating disorder specific psychological interventions and waiting list controls across all three primary outcomes. CONCLUSION: Overall, findings suggest that low intensity psychological interventions can successfully treat eating disorder symptoms. Few potential moderators had a statistically significant effect on outcome. The number of studies for many comparisons was low and the methodological quality of the studies was poor, therefore results should be interpreted with caution. More research is needed to establish the effectiveness of low intensity psychological interventions for children and young people, as well as for individuals with anorexia nervosa, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, pica and rumination disorder.

Feeding and eating disorders can significantly impair health and psychosocial functioning. However, demand for eating disorder services is greater than services' ability to deliver effective treatment. Low intensity psychological interventions, which are brief in nature and require less therapist input than standard treatments, have the potential to bridge this demand-capacity gap. The current review examined the effectiveness of low intensity psychological interventions for the treatment of feeding and eating disorders. Overall, findings suggest that low intensity psychological interventions can successfully treat eating disorder symptoms, particularly binge eating-related symptoms. Given their relatively low costs and ease of accessibility, such interventions can help people to access treatment at a time when this is so desperately needed. More research is needed to determine the value of low intensity psychological interventions for children and adolescents, and people with feeding and eating disorders that are not characterised by recurrent binge eating, such as anorexia nervosa, ARFID, pica and rumination disorder.

The benefits of continuing patient and public involvement as part of a randomised controlled trial during the Covid-19 global pandemic

Patient and public involvement (PPI) in clinical research strengthens the quality and relevance of research, and has been crucial to ensure that researchers continue to investigate relevant and important topics during the global Covid-19 pandemic. The MICE (Mental Health Intervention for Children with Epilepsy) randomised controlled trial relies upon PPI to steer the direction and delivery of the trial, and the PPI Research Advisory Group (RAG) adapted to remote online meetings during the pandemic. This article first describes how the PPI RAG supported the research trial during the course of the pandemic, particularly with key trial stages of recruitment, retention and follow-up. It considers how the PPI tasks were adapted to ensure that they remained meaningful throughout this period, particularly for children and young people. Second, the article explores the acceptability of PPI in research using teleconferencing methods, via a co-produced survey of the PPI group members. Survey results indicated that, while participants valued face-to-face meetings, having remote PPI meetings was preferable to having nothing. There was some suggestion that teleconferencing platforms make it challenging for reserved members of the group, and for children, to contribute. Our findings emphasise the importance of continuing PPI even when circumstances are sub-optimal. We hope that our findings will contribute to the wider conversation about what makes PPI effective, particularly in a digital world. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Research for All is the property of UCL Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Natural course of health and well-being in non-hospitalised children and young people after testing for SARS-CoV-2: a prospective follow-up study over 12 months.

Background: Despite high numbers of children and young people (CYP) having acute COVID, there has been no prospective follow-up of CYP to establish the pattern of health and well-being over a year following infection. Methods: A non-hospitalised, national sample of 5086 (2909 SARS-COV-2 Positive; 2177 SARS-COV-2 Negative at baseline) CYP aged 11-17 completed questionnaires 6- and 12-months after PCR-tests between October 2020 and March 2021 confirming SARS-CoV-2 infection (excluding CYP with subsequent (re)infections). SARS-COV-2 Positive CYP was compared to age, sex and geographically-matched test-negative CYP. Findings: Ten of 21 symptoms had a prevalence less than 10% at baseline, 6- and 12-months post-test in both test-positives and test-negatives. Of the other 11 symptoms, in test-positives who had these at baseline, the prevalence of all symptoms declined greatly by 12-months. For CYP first describing one of these at 6-months, there was a decline in prevalence by 12-months. The overall prevalence of 9 of 11 symptoms declined by 12-months. As many CYP first described shortness of breath and tiredness at either 6- or 12-months, the overall prevalence of these two symptoms in test-positives appeared to increase by 6-months and increase further by 12-months. However, within-individual examination demonstrated that the prevalence of shortness of breath and tiredness actually declined in those first describing these two symptoms at either baseline or 6-months. This pattern was also evident for these two symptoms in test-negatives. Similar patterns were observed for validated measures of poor quality of life, emotional and behavioural difficulties, poor well-being and fatigue. Moreover, broadly similar patterns and results were noted for the sub-sample (N = 1808) that had data at baseline, 3-, 6- and 12-months post-test. Interpretation: In CYP, the prevalence of adverse symptoms reported at the time of a positive PCR-test declined over 12-months. Some test-positives and test-negatives reported adverse symptoms for the first time at six- and 12-months post-test, particularly tiredness, shortness of breath, poor quality of life, poor well-being and fatigue suggesting they are likely to be caused by multiple factors. Funding: NIHR/UKRI (ref: COVLT0022).

A survey of mental health professionals in a paediatric hospital during COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: There is little understanding of the mental health impact for young people with long-term physical health conditions and mental health professionals' experiences of supporting them during COVID-19. This service evaluation aimed to conduct a survey of the psychological services provided by mental health professionals in a paediatric hospital in relation to COVID-19. METHOD: Clinical psychologists and assistant psychologists (n = 76) across the hospital were asked to complete a survey, asking about their perceptions of COVID-19's impact on patients and families and experiences of providing support during COVID-19. Open-ended survey questions were analysed qualitatively using framework analysis. RESULTS: Respondents described perceived impacts on patients and families around social isolation, school closure, family relationships, physical health, mental health, treatments and social support. Respondents' experiences of providing mental health support during COVID-19 highlighted themes around providing remote/virtual support, workload and facilitators and barriers to their work. CONCLUSIONS: Mental health professionals surveyed reported a complex mental health landscape in young people with long-term physical health conditions and their families during COVID-19. Service-wide involvement is needed to facilitate changes to support vital adaptations to remote/virtual working. Research on the mental health of young people with long-term physical health conditions and staff experiences of providing support is warranted.

Debate: Lessons learned in lockdown - a one-day remotely delivered training on low-intensity psychological interventions for common mental health conditions.

The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the need for remote technologies to be used in child and adolescent mental health services. With the UK being placed in lockdown one week before a scheduled 'face-to-face' low-intensity CBT training day due to COVID-19, there was a need for rapid adaptations to be made to the content, structure and format of a training day for practitioners in mental health services, to suit the online environment. The content covered the core areas of low-intensity CBT in children and adolescents. Findings showed that the one-day low-intensity training day increased knowledge and understanding in all key areas measured, and was positively received, providing further evidence for the effectiveness and acceptability of remote delivery. Given discussed benefits of remote delivery, as well as rapid developments in technologies helping to address some of the challenges raised, going forward, remote delivery could continue to be beneficial for increasing access to much needed evidence-based interventions.