Mental health first aid for eating disorders: pilot evaluation of a training program for the public

Prevention and early intervention in eating disorders: findings from a rapid review

BACKGROUND

Eating disorders (EDs) are complex psychological disorders, with low rates of detection and early intervention. They can lead to significant mental and physical health complications, especially if intervention is delayed. Given high rates of morbidity and mortality, low treatment uptake, and significant rates of relapse, it is important to examine prevention, early intervention, and early recognition initiatives. The aim of this review is to identify and evaluate literature on preventative and early intervention programs in EDs.

METHODS

This paper is one of a series of Rapid Reviews, designed to inform the Australian National Eating Disorders Research and Translation Strategy 2021-2031, funded, and released by the Australian Government. To provide a current and rigorous review, peer-reviewed articles between 2009 and 2021 published in English were searched across three databases: ScienceDirect, PubMed and Ovid/Medline. Priority was given to high-level evidence including meta-analyses, systematic reviews, Randomised Control Trials, and large population studies. Findings from selected studies pertaining to prevention and early intervention in EDs were evaluated and are presented in this review.

RESULTS

In total, 130 studies were identified in the current review, 72% relating to prevention and 28% to early intervention. Most programs were theory-driven and targeted one or more ED risk factors such as thin-ideal internalisation and/or body dissatisfaction. There is reasonable evidence to support prevention programs reducing risk factors, particularly as part of school or university-based programs, with established feasibility and relatively high acceptance among students. There is increasing evidence around the use of technology (to increase dissemination potential) and for use of mindfulness approaches (targeting emotional resilience). Few longitudinal studies assessing incident cases following participation in a prevention program exist.

CONCLUSIONS

Although several prevention and early intervention programs have been shown to significantly reduce risk factors, promote symptom recognition, and encourage help-seeking behaviour, most of these studies have been conducted in older adolescent and university aged students, past the age of peak ED onset. One of the most targeted risk factors, body dissatisfaction, is found in girls as young as 6 years old, indicating a need for further research implementing prevention initiatives at younger ages. Follow-up research is limited; thus, the long-term efficacy and effectiveness of studied programs is unknown. Greater attention should be paid to the implementation of prevention and early intervention programs in identified high-risk cohorts or diverse groups, where a more targeted approach may be necessary.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Eating Disorders in Military First Line of Defense against COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study during the Second Epidemic Wave in Peru

Few studies have evaluated eating disorders in military personnel engaged in defense activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with eating disorders in military personnel from Lambayeque, Peru. A secondary data analysis was performed among 510 military personnel during the second epidemic wave of COVID-19 in Peru. We used the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) to assess eating disorders. We explored associations with insomnia, food insecurity, physical activity, resilience, fear to COVID-19, burnout syndrome, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress and selected sociodemographic variables. Eating disorders were experienced by 10.2% of participants. A higher prevalence of eating disorders was associated with having 7 to 12 months (PR: 2.97; 95% CI: 1.24-7.11) and 19 months or more (PR: 2.62; 95% CI: 1.11-6.17) working in the first line of defense against COVID-19, fear of COVID-19 (PR: 2.20; 95% CI: 1.26-3.85), burnout syndrome (PR: 3.73; 95% CI: 1.90-7.33) and post-traumatic stress (PR: 2.97; 95% CI: 1.13-7.83). A low prevalence of eating disorders was found in the military personnel. However, prevention of this problem should be focused on at-risk groups that experience mental health burdens.

Beyond screening in primary practice settings: Time to stop fiddling while Rome is burning

OBJECTIVE

This forum presents the current state of research in the screening and identification of people with eating disorders in community and primary care, taking a longer-term perspective that highlights the slow rate of progression in development of instruments, and impact on polices and practice.

METHOD

An historical overview is presented, followed by a critique of contemporary instruments and practice, and barriers to case detection and appropriate referral pathways.

RESULTS

There are now many instruments but all lack high levels of positive predictive power. However, some do have high sensitivity. Barriers contributing to poor detection and the treatment gap include need for improved education and support for primary care professionals and lack of confidence of individuals with eating disorders to initiate a discussion with health professionals. The best screening instrument would not overcome either of these barriers.

DISCUSSION

We purport there is an urgent need to improve current screening instruments (not to develop more), particularly those with high sensitivity. These should be being employed alongside programs to both improve primary care professionals' skills in assessment and management of people with eating disorders, and to empower consumers to navigate care pathways.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

We argue that further screening instruments for eating disorders are not needed. Rather, it is more urgent to have a greater research focus on how to encourage primary care workers to ask about eating and body image and how to best translate that to more individuals with eating disorders being offered treatment. This work needs to be linked with tools that empower consumers to navigate care pathways.

#EatingDisorderRecovery: a qualitative content analysis of eating disorder recovery-related posts on Instagram

PURPOSE

Limited research has evaluated the role of Social Networking Sites (SNS) in eating disorder (ED) recovery. While research has demonstrated the deleterious effects of pro-ED SNS content, less is known regarding SNS content documenting ED recovery. This study evaluates orientation towards help-seeking, ongoing ED warning signs and recovery themes on ED recovery SNS hashtags.

METHODS

600 Instagram posts were retrieved from two popular hashtags: #EDrecovery and #EatingDisorderRecovery. They were categorized into four thematic concerns: Food, Quotes, People or Others. Posts were analysed for behavioural and psychological signs of ED based on the Mental Health First Aid Eating Disorders Guidelines, and whether they encouraged seeking professional help. Thematic qualitative analysis to evaluate themes posted on recovery hashtags was conducted.

RESULTS

Of the 600 posts, 405 were used for analysis. The majority of posts were on Food (49.6%), Quotes (24.2%) and People (22.7%). Behavioural and psychological signs suggestive of EDs were present in 18.0% and 22.5% of images, respectively. Only 9.4% of posts encouraged seeking professional help. Important themes that emerged from the qualitative analysis included the recovery journey, increased awareness and stigma for EDs and the development of a supportive community.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite identifying with ED recovery, posts had a high prevalence of ongoing ED behaviour and low prevalence of help-seeking. Thematic analysis emphasized the role of recovery as a journey and the role of stigma and community in recovery. These findings suggest that SNSs could potentially be leveraged as a platform to improve help-seeking and encourage recovery for users with eating disorders.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level V, descriptive study.

Mental Health First Aid: A Systematic Review of Trainee Behavior and Recipient Mental Health Outcomes

OBJECTIVE

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a globally disseminated course that trains members of the public to recognize and respond to mental health issues in their communities. Although substantial evidence suggests that MHFA training is associated with positive changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intent, little is known about how MHFA trainee-delivered aid supports mental health needs. This systematic review sought to summarize the extant research evaluating MHFA trainees' helping behaviors and the impacts of these behaviors on people experiencing a mental health problem (i.e., recipients).

METHODS

Electronic databases were searched for MHFA evaluations published before or on March 9, 2021. Studies that evaluated at least one outcome related to trainee helping behavior or recipient mental health were included in the synthesis. Outcomes were organized into three categories: trainee use of MHFA skills, helpfulness of trainees' actions, and recipients' mental health. Only studies that compared pre- and posttraining outcomes, included a control group, and directly evaluated MHFA were used to assess its efficacy.

RESULTS

The search identified 31 studies, nine of which met criteria to assess MHFA efficacy. The findings of the nine studies indicated that MHFA had mixed effects on trainees using the skills taught in the course and no effects on the helpfulness of trainees' actions or on recipient mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that there is insufficient current evidence that MHFA improves the helping behaviors of trainees or the mental health of those receiving helping behaviors. They highlight a crucial research gap that should be prioritized as MHFA continues to grow in popularity.

Early detection of eating disorders: a scoping review

PURPOSE

Early detection of eating disorders (EDs) could improve their prognosis, decrease morbidity and mortality, and prevent the risk of evolution towards a chronic form and somatic, psychiatric and psychosocial complications. The objective of this review was to examine the current scientific data concerning the early detection of EDs, which is one of the facets of secondary prevention.

METHOD

A scoping literature review was carried out following the PRISMA-ScR criteria, including all articles on ED detection published up to 2021 on PUBMED and PSYCINFO.

RESULTS

43 articles were included. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa were the most widely studied disorders. The articles focused on professionals from the medical field (GPs, psychiatrists, gynaecologists, gastroenterologists and residents), from the paramedical field, from education and sport, and from the general population. The assessments conducted with the professionals receiving interventions aiming to improve detection demonstrated their efficacy. Interventions for ED detection in the general population and at school seemed less efficacious.

CONCLUSION

The results highlighted some lines of action to be implemented. They pointed towards improving initial and continuing education for professional carers; e-learning could be an interesting solution for continuing education. Improving training with specific instructors, school personnel and sports professionals is also one of the solutions for a better detection of EDs. Specific recommendations could be published for fitness centre professionals to help them to deal with clients suspected of having an ED. Among secondary school students and in the general population, a better dissemination of mental health literacy and the development of mental health first aid programs could help improve early detection.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level I: Evidence obtained from systematic reviews.

College student attitudes and strategies for intervention with a hypothetical peer exhibiting disordered eating

OBJECTIVE

The present study assesses stigma, attitudes, and strategies of college students in intervening with peers demonstrating disordered eating behaviors.

METHOD

Four hundred and eighty nine college students (384 women) completed questionnaires that assessed eating disorder symptoms and bystander attitudes adapted for disordered eating. Participants read one of three vignettes of a 20-year-old hypothetical peer displaying symptoms of disordered eating aligned with bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, or binge-eating disorder; participants then described whether the vignette subject had a problem, what the problem was, and strategies for intervention. Relationships among eating disorder history, bystander attitudes, demographics, and intention to intervene in disordered eating were assessed using descriptive and regressive analyses; peer intervention strategies were organized and evaluated for frequencies of responses.

RESULTS

Demographics (female-identification) and familiarity with disordered eating were associated with likelihood to intervene in disordered eating. Most students recognized that the peer had a problem, but fewer than half believed the problem was disordered eating; nearly a quarter (22%) of the students stated that they would be uncomfortable talking to a peer about disordered eating. The majority of students cited vague or nonproblem-related intervention strategies (62%), followed by emotion-focused strategies (22.5%), or body and behavior-focused strategies (15%).

DISCUSSION

College students, particularly women and those with previous exposure to eating disorders, are likely to intervene peers disordered eating. However, students tend to use vague or body-focused intervention strategies. Bystander intervention training that provides rationale and rehearsal for supportive communication strategies is needed to address students' lack of intervention skills, particularly among men.

Effects associated with the use of healthcare for eating disorders by women in the community: a longitudinal cohort study

OBJECTIVES

This study examined formal and informal healthcare use (HCU) in community women with disordered eating, and associations of HCU with mental health-related quality of life (MHRQoL), psychological distress, mental health literacy (MHL) and eating disorder (ED) symptoms over time.

HYPOTHESIS

We hypothesised that HCU would lead to improvement in ED symptom severity, MHRQoL, MHL and psychological distress.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS

Data were from years 2, 4 and 9 of a longitudinal cohort of 443 community women (mean age 30.6, SE 0.4 years) with a range of ED symptoms, randomly recruited from the Australian Capital Territory electoral role or via convenience sampling from tertiary education centres. Data were collected using posted/emailed self-report questionnaires; inclusion criteria were completion of the HCU questionnaire at time point of 2 years (baseline for this study). HCU was measured using a multiple-choice question on help seeking for an eating problem. To test the effect of HCU over time on MHRQoL (Short Form-12 score), psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale score), ED symptom severity (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire score) and ED-MHL, linear or logistic mixed-effects regression analyses were used.

RESULTS

20% of participants sought ED-specific help at baseline; more than half of participants sought help that was not evidence based. HCU at baseline was significantly associated with improved MHRQoL and ED symptom severity and decreased psychological distress over time (Cohen's d all >0.3, ie, small). HCU was not significantly associated with MHL over time. The predictive ability of the fitted models ranged from 32.18% to 42.42% for psychological distress and MHL treatment, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Formal and informal HCU were associated with small improvements in ED symptoms, MHRQoL and psychological distress but not with improved MHL. Informal services in ED management should be investigated further along with efforts to improve ED-MHL.

A prospective study on the link between weight-related self-stigma and binge eating: Role of food addiction and psychological distress

OBJECTIVES

This prospective study investigated the link between weight-related self-stigma and binge eating by (a) examining the temporal association between weight-related self-stigma and binge eating; (b) investigating the mediating role of food addiction in the association between weight-related self-stigma and binge eating; and (c) examining the mediating role of psychological distress in the association between weight-related self-stigma and binge eating.

METHOD

Participants comprised 1,497 adolescents (mean = 15.1 years; SD = 6.0). Body mass index and weight bias were assessed at baseline; psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress) assessed and food addiction at 3 months; and binge eating at 6 months. The mediation model was analyzed using Model 4 in the PROCESS macro for SPSS with 10,000 bootstrapping resamples.

RESULTS

There was no significant direct association between weight-related self-stigma and binge eating. However, food addiction and psychological distress significantly mediated the association between weight-related self-stigma and binge eating.

DISCUSSION

These findings highlight the indirect association between weight-related self-stigma and binge eating via food addiction and psychological distress. Consequently, intervention programs targeting food addiction and psychological distress among adolescents may have significant positive effects on outcomes for weight-related self-stigma and binge eating. The findings will be beneficial to researchers and healthcare professionals working with adolescents during this critical developmental period.

Exploring the knowledge and attitude of public about mental health problems: A pilot intervention for effective mental health promotion

CONTEXT

The knowledge about mental health problems among the general public is comparatively quite low. The pilot study was conducted with an aim to increase the knowledge of the day-to-day mental health problems which people can have among the mass.

AIMS

The aims of this study are (1) to assess the knowledge and attitude about mental health problems of the selected sample and (2) to build the capacity in providing first aid for mental health to the selected sample through training.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was used in assessing the knowledge and skills of the participants of the first aid for mental health problems. It was conducted in the institute itself.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A total of 89 participants were taken to participate in the cross-sectional study. Using a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire, a brief training, and a feedback form, capacity building for first aid for mental health problems was provided.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED

The questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

The capacity building program for first aid for mental health problems appears to be effective in improving the knowledge and attitude with regard to the mental health problems. The findings from the program indicated lack of knowledge in understanding of mental health, knowledge of causation, and treatment of mental health problems. Feedback of the training program indicated that it improved the ability of the participants in recognizing persons undergoing mental health problems and brought about a change in their beliefs about mental health, attitudes, and need for prompt referral.

CONCLUSIONS

The program was successful in increasing the confidence of the participants in providing help to someone with a mental health problem and referring to appropriate mental health professional. This shows that there is an immediate need for empowering general public with knowledge and skills to provide support to people with mental health problems.

Guidelines for the public on how to provide mental health first aid: narrative review

BACKGROUND

Expert-consensus guidelines have been developed for how members of the public should assist a person with a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.

AIMS

This review aimed to examine the range of guidelines that have been developed and how these have been implemented in practice.

METHOD

A narrative review was carried out based on a systematic search for literature on the development or implementation of the guidelines.

RESULTS

The Delphi method has been used to develop a wide range of guidelines for English-speaking countries, Asian countries and a number of other cultural groups. The primary implementation has been through informing the content of training courses.

CONCLUSION

Further work is needed on guidelines for low- and middle-income countries.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

A.F.J. is an unpaid member of the Board of Mental Health First Aid International (trading as Mental Health First Aid Australia), which is a not-for-profit organisation.

Characteristics of seeking treatment among U.S. adolescents with eating disorders

OBJECTIVE

The majority of persons with eating disorders (EDs) do not seek ED treatment, yet little is known about treatment-seeking barriers or facilitators. The aim of the study is to describe the characteristics associated with seeking ED treatment among U.S. adolescents with EDs.

METHOD

Data from a nationally representative cross-sectional study of U.S. adolescents ages 13-18 years were used for these analyses. Specifically, adolescents who met criteria for lifetime EDs (N = 281) were included. Sociodemographic information, characteristics of EDs, psychiatric comorbidities, and other mental health service use were assessed via interview.

RESULTS

Only 20% of adolescents sought ED treatment. Females were 2.2 (95% CI 0.8, 6.4) times more likely to seek treatment than males (19.9% vs. 8.9%). Adolescents who met criteria for anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa were 2.4 (95% CI 0.9, 6.3) and 1.9 (95% CI 1.0, 3.8) times more likely to seek treatment than adolescents who met criteria for binge-eating disorder (27.5% and 22.3% vs. 11.6%). Specific ED behaviors (restriction and purging), ED-related impairment, and any mental health service use were also associated with adolescent treatment seeking.

DISCUSSION

Adolescent treatment seeking was infrequent overall, with individuals with counter-stereotypic ED presentations least likely to have sought treatment. Adolescent treatment seeking could be promoted through increasing awareness among the public and healthcare professionals that EDs affect a heterogeneous group of people. More generally, research involving both treatment-seeking and non-treatment-seeking individuals holds great potential to refine the field's knowledge of ED etiology, prevalence, treatment, and prevention.

Interventions to reduce the stigma of eating disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Stigma is a problem for individuals with eating disorders (EDs), forming a barrier to disclosure and help-seeking. Interventions to reduce ED stigma may help remove these barriers; however, it is not known which strategies (e.g., explaining etiology to reduce blame, contact with a person with an ED, or educating about ED) are effective in reducing stigma and related outcomes. This review described effectiveness of intervention strategies, and identified gaps in the literature. A search of four databases was performed using the terms (eating disorder* OR bulimi* OR anorexi* OR binge-eating disorder) AND (stigma* OR stereotyp* OR beliefs OR negative attitudes) AND (program OR experiment OR intervention OR education), with additional texts sought through LISTSERVs. Two raters screened papers, extracted data, and assessed quality. Stigma reduction strategies and study characteristics were examined in critical narrative synthesis. Exploratory meta-analysis compared the effects of biological and sociocultural explanations of EDs on attitudinal stigma. Eighteen papers were eligible for narrative synthesis, with four also eligible for inclusion in a meta-analysis. Biological explanations reduced stigma relative to other explanations, including sociocultural explanations in meta-analysis (g = .47, p < .001). Combined education and contact interventions improved stigma relative to control groups or over time. Most studies examined Anorexia Nervosa (AN) stigma and had mostly female, undergraduate participants. Despite apparent effectiveness, research should verify that biological explanations do not cause unintentional harm. Future research should evaluate in vivo contact, directly compare education and contact strategies, and aim to generalize findings across community populations.

Development of guidelines for giving community presentations about eating disorders: a Delphi study

BACKGROUND

Concerns exist around how to talk about eating disorders (EDs) due to evidence that suggests discussing ED symptoms and behaviours may cause or worsen symptoms in vulnerable people. Using expert consensus, we developed a set of guidelines for giving safe community presentations about EDs.

METHODS

Participants with professional ED expertise, and people with lived experience of an ED, were recruited for a Delphi study. N = 26 panel members rated 367 statements for both a) inclusion in guidelines, and b) their potential to be helpful (increase knowledge, reduce stigma) or harmful (increase stigma, cause/worsen ED symptoms). After each round of the study, statements were classified as endorsed, re-rate, or not endorsed.

RESULTS

208 statements were endorsed by the panel over three rounds. 13 statements were strongly endorsed in the first round, with both people with lived experience and professionals agreeing it is important for presentations to include information on etiology of EDs and to promote help-seeking. Several statements had a high level of disagreement between those with lived experience and professionals, including the idea that presentations should suggest dieting is likely to result in weight gain.

DISCUSSION

The experts were able to develop consensus on a wide range of issues. Panel members, particularly people with lived experience, were sensitive to aspects of presentations that may be harmful to an audience. The guidelines fill an important gap in the literature and provide guidance to those educating the public about EDs; they should, however, be further evaluated to test their efficacy.

'teen Mental Health First Aid': a description of the program and an initial evaluation

BACKGROUND

Many adolescents have poor mental health literacy, stigmatising attitudes towards people with mental illness, and lack skills in providing optimal Mental Health First Aid to peers. These could be improved with training to facilitate better social support and increase appropriate help-seeking among adolescents with emerging mental health problems. teen Mental Health First Aid (teen MHFA), a new initiative of Mental Health First Aid International, is a 3 × 75 min classroom based training program for students aged 15-18 years.

METHODS

An uncontrolled pilot of the teen MHFA course was undertaken to examine the feasibility of providing the program in Australian secondary schools, to test relevant measures of student knowledge, attitudes and behaviours, and to provide initial evidence of program effects.

RESULTS

Across four schools, 988 students received the teen MHFA program. 520 students with a mean age of 16 years completed the baseline questionnaire, 345 completed the post-test and 241 completed the three-month follow-up. Statistically significant improvements were found in mental health literacy, confidence in providing Mental Health First Aid to a peer, help-seeking intentions and student mental health, while stigmatising attitudes significantly reduced.

CONCLUSIONS

teen MHFA appears to be an effective and feasible program for training high school students in Mental Health First Aid techniques. Further research is required with a randomized controlled design to elucidate the causal role of the program in the changes observed.

Quality and predictors of adolescents' first aid intentions and actions towards a peer with a mental health problem

While peers are a common source of informal help for young people with a mental health problem, evidence suggests that the help they provide is inadequate. By examining predictors of the quality of mental health first aid provided by adolescents to their peers, future interventions can be targeted to adolescents most at risk of providing poor help. Students (n = 518) from Australian secondary schools were presented with two vignettes, depicting persons experiencing depression with suicidal thoughts, and social phobia. Participants were asked what they thought was wrong with the person, and how they would help them. Stigma towards the person was also assessed. Additionally, participants were asked if they had recently helped anyone in their own lives with a mental health problem, and, if so, what they did. The overall quality of help reported in response to the vignettes or an actual person was low; a particular inadequacy was the low rate of engaging the help of an adult. Being female, and believing that the person is sick rather than weak, consistently predicted better help-giving.

Parents and prevention: a systematic review of interventions involving parents that aim to prevent body dissatisfaction or eating disorders

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the literature on interventions involving parents that aim to prevent body dissatisfaction or eating disorders in children, and provide directions for future research by highlighting current gaps.

METHOD

The literature was searched for articles using key concepts: parents, prevention and eating disorders or disordered eating or body dissatisfaction. All English language publications between 1992 and 2013 were searched across a range of academic databases. Studies were reviewed if they: (i) delivered an intervention designed to reduce eating disorders or body dissatisfaction or their risk factors, in children or adolescents; (ii) provided some intervention component for parents; and (iii) included some outcome measure of intervention effectiveness on disordered eating or body dissatisfaction. A scoring matrix based on the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) screening questions was used to assess each study's sample representativeness, relevance and data quality.

RESULTS

From 647 novel records uncovered by the search, 20 separate studies met inclusion criteria. The CASP scoring matrix revealed eight studies provided no relevant data, four relevant and eight highly relevant data on the effects of involving parents in prevention programs. Two of four high-quality studies reported that parental involvement significantly improved child outcomes on measures of body dissatisfaction or disordered eating.

DISCUSSION

Although a greater focus on engaging and retaining parents is needed, this review demonstrates that a small number of prevention studies with parents have led to significant reductions in risk of body image and eating problems, and future research is indicated.

International training programs on eating disorders for professionals, caregivers, and the general public: A scoping review

This review identified and synthesized published training programs on eating disorders (ED) (anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa) for professionals, natural supporters of people with ED, or the public. A scoping review using the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework was conducted. Four data bases were searched, for all years, and manual searches from three additional sources were also conducted. Experts on ED were consulted for validation of the identified studies. A narrative synthesis was performed. A total of 20 evaluation studies from five countries were identified, and reviewed in relation to 14 ED training programs. Characteristics of the training programs, and study characteristics, were highly diverse, as shown on Table 1 which compiles results from the charted data. Evaluations were equally divided between training for healthcare and education professionals (9), and training for families or other carers of people with ED (10). One study evaluated ED training for the general public. We found that training orientation varies with the interests and needs of different trainee groups. While most studies assessed trainee outcomes, future research needs to give greater consideration to patient perspectives, and to the relationship between training and evaluation approaches, improved knowledge, and better care.

Perceived psychosocial impairment associated with eating disorder features: responses to a mental health literacy intervention

BACKGROUND

Whether and to what extent young adults are aware of the adverse impact of eating disorder features (EDF) on psychosocial functioning is unclear, although such awareness may affect the experience and behavior of sufferers. The aim of the current study was to examine young adults' perceptions of psychosocial impairment associated with EDF, and the potential effect on these perceptions of an eating disorders "mental health literacy" (ED-MHL) intervention.

METHODS

Undergraduate students (male: n = 35; female: n = 141) completed self-report questionnaires prior to, immediately following, and 3 months after completion of a 3-h ED-MHL intervention. Perceived psychosocial impairment associated with EDF-binge eating, purging, extreme dietary restriction, overvaluation of weight/shape, and excessive exercise-was assessed at each time point.

RESULTS

At all 3 time points, EDF were considered to have a 'slightly negative' to 'very negative' impact on psychosocial functioning. Prior to the intervention, binge eating, purging and extreme dietary restriction were generally considered to have a greater negative impact than excessive exercise and overvaluation of weight/shape. Three months after the ED-MHL intervention, participants reported greater perceived impairment associated with excessive exercise and overvaluation; while perceptions of psychosocial impairment associated with binge eating, purging and dietary restriction remained largely unchanged. Females perceived greater impairment associated with EDF than males did immediately after the intervention, but not at the 3-month follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The adverse effects on psychosocial functioning of binge eating, purging and extreme dietary restriction appear to be readily recognized by young people. Awareness of the adverse effects of excessive exercise and overvaluation may be poorer, but amenable to improvement by means of a relatively simple intervention. These features may warrant particular attention in health promotion programs.

Improving eating disorders mental health literacy: a preliminary evaluation of the "Should I say something?" workshop

A repeated measures, uncontrolled, preliminary evaluation of a single 3-hour workshop-"Should I Say Something?"-aimed at improving eating disorders mental health literacy, was conducted in a sample of 177 university undergraduates. Following participation in the workshop, significant increases in eating disorder recognition and knowledge, and significant decreases in stigmatizing attitudes, were reported by participants. Moreover, 85% of participants reported that they provided assistance to someone whom they suspected had a mental health condition, including an eating disorder, during the 3-month follow-up period. This study provides preliminary evidence that "Should I Say Something?" may be effective in improving the mental health literacy of young people.