Parent-based prevention program for the children of mothers with eating disorders: Feasibility and preliminary outcomes.

The children of mothers with eating disorders are at high risk of feeding and eating problems and broader developmental difficulties. The Parent-Based Prevention (PBP) of eating disorders targets risk factors and facilitates behavioral change in parents to mitigate potentially negative outcomes of their children. This pre/post uncontrolled study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of PBP. PBP was found to be a feasible intervention for mothers with eating disorders and their spouses, with satisfactory retention rates. A total of 16 intact families were assessed at three measurement points for parents' feeding practices, child outcomes, and maternal functioning. Both parents reported improved feeding practices as well as more positive perceptions of their children in comparison to baseline. These pilot findings suggest that PBP is linked with decreased risk of eating and mental problems among the offspring of mothers with eating disorders.

Child feeding perceptions among mothers with eating disorders.

Feeding and eating difficulties are documented among the offspring of mothers with eating disorders. Understanding the perspective of mothers with eating disorders is likely essential to develop parent-based early prevention programs for children of these mothers. In the present study, twenty-nine mothers who were diagnosed with an eating disorder prior to becoming mothers and who currently had toddler age children participated in a semi-structured interview examining maternal functioning and child feeding. The maternal perceptions that emerged from the interviews were sorted into central themes and subcategories using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Data indicate that mothers with eating disorders express preoccupation with their child's eating, shape and weight, and many dilemmas about child feeding. They also reported rarity of family meals and their toddlers' preliminary awareness of maternal symptoms. Maternal concerns regarding child nutrition, feeding and weight were reported as more intense in regards to daughters. These maternal perceptions illuminate the maternal psychological processes that underlie the feeding and eating problems of the children of mothers with lifetime eating disorders. Findings should be addressed in the evaluation, treatment, and research of adult and childhood eating disorders.

Ethnic disparities in mental health treatment gap in a community-based survey and in access to care in psychiatric clinics.

BACKGROUND: Contrasting social status of ethnic groups differentially impacts the use of psychiatric services, including in Israel, despite its universal health system. However, relevant studies are limited. AIMS: To examine ethnic differences in mental health treatment gap and in access to specialized care. METHODS: Data were gathered from two sources. Study I included Mizrahi (Jews of North African/Asian origin, socially disadvantaged, n = 136) and Ashkenazi (Jews of European American origin, socially advantaged, n = 69) who were diagnosed with common mental disorders in the preceding 12 months in the Israeli component of the World Mental Health Survey. Study II included Mizrahi (n = 133) and Ashkenazi (n = 96) service users entering ambulatory mental health care. RESULTS: Study I showed that the treatment gap was larger among Mizrahi compared with Ashkenazi respondents (28% standard error (SE) = 4.1 and 45% SE = 6.2, respectively, sought services) following adjustment for sociodemographic confounders (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-4.8). Study II showed that the access to specialized care lagged over a year among 40% of service users of both ethnic groups. No significant ethnic differences emerged in variables related to delay in accessing care. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment gap was larger among ethnically disadvantaged compared with the advantaged group. However, once in treatment, service users of both ethnic groups report similar barriers to care.