A group of schoolchildren in Minneapolis recently help develop, write, produce and perform a play about eating disorders and body image. The 18 children volunteered one day a week for ten weeks to create the play, which was performed in front of parents, teachers, and friends.

"After the final performance, [Jess] Haines and her colleagues interviewed 15 of the participating children in three focus groups of five... A key feature of the intervention was that it appeared to engage the children and they reported finding it particularly relevant to their lives. This echoes other health research showing that involving participants in the development and delivery of an intervention leads to it being more relevant and culturally sensitive to its intended audience."

Haines and her colleagues also found that many of the children reported improvement in their own body image and ability to withstand derogatory remarks. Source: BPS Research Digest.

Labels: intervention, support, treatment

A 16-week, internet-based program seems to significantly reduce the instances of binge eating among teens, according to the program's pilot study.

"[Megan] Jones and her team developed a 16-week online intervention modeled on an eating disorder prevention program. Known as SB2-BED, it uses psychoeducation and behavioral intervention such as stimulus control and self monitoring, all aimed at reducing binge eating and sedentary activities, increasing healthy eating and physical activity, and maintaining weight."

At the end of the study, students who participated in the program had significantly lower body mass indexes as compared to a control group. They also had fewer instances of binge eating and fewer concerns about their weight and/or shape. Read more at NLM.NIH.gov.

The Aspen Institute for Behavioral Assessment helps troubled teens and their families by accurately diagnosing a teen's issues and then creating a treatment plan. Learn more about their treatment programs for troubled teens at www.aspenassessment.com.

Labels: intervention, support, therapy

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health is launching a four-year study on early intervention treatments for adolescents with eating disorders. The study will begin accepting patients on May 1st.

"The study... will examine two early intervention treatment approaches in 240 young people, ages 12 to 18, who've been diagnosed with anorexia. The children's parents will play an important role in the study."

Recent research has found that some people may be genetically pre-disposed to eating disorders, making early intervention extremely important. Intervention programs that involve family members often prove to be the most successful, which is why they're the focus of this particular study. Read more online.

Labels: anorexia, intervention, mental_health