“I’m not alone”: a qualitative report of experiences among parents of children with eating disorders attending virtual parent-led peer support groups

BACKGROUND: The treatment for children with eating disorders (EDs) requires extensive involvement of parents. The parents of children with EDs have voiced a need for greater support, including connecting with other parents with lived experience of caring for a child with an ED. We aimed to qualitatively explore parental experiences of these groups, including their benefits and areas for improvement. METHODS: This study examined the delivery of four virtual parent-led peer support groups in Ontario, Canada for parents of children with EDs with approximately 10 parent participants per group and two parent facilitators leading each group. Parents (n = 44) were asked to attend 12 bi-weekly support group sessions over 6 months, and then complete an individual end-of-study qualitative interview. Interview data were analyzed using content analysis, following the qualitative description design. RESULTS: Thirty-six parents completed the end-of-study qualitative interview. Participants shared their experiences and impressions related to the group’s structure and content. Notable helpful aspects of the group included being able to receive support from those with similar experiences, access to education and resources about EDs, and being able to support others. Suggestions for improvements were made, which included organizing groups according to the child’s ED diagnosis or duration of illness. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that this intervention is acceptable to parents and is perceived as helpful. Future research is needed to strengthen this support group model and to study its effects for parents in different settings and for parents of children with various EDs. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04686864. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40337-022-00719-2.