0000000000044963

AUTHOR

Nadia Micali

Development and Validation of a Scale to Measure Caregiver Skills in Eating Disorders

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new ques- tionnaire designed to measure caregiver skills that, in line with the interperso- nal component of the cognitive inter- personal maintenance model (Schmidt and Treasure, J Br J Clin Psychol, 45, 343–366, 2006), may be helpful in the support of people with anorexia nerv- osa (AN). A further aim is to assess whether this scale is sensitive to change following skills-based caregiver interventions. Method: The Caregiver Skills (CASK) scale was developed by a group of clinicians and caregivers. Preliminary versions of the scale devised for both caregivers and parents were given at baseline and at follow-up after two studies…

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The Objective and Subjective Caregiving Burden and Caregiving Behaviours of Parents of Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa

Objective The study aimed to examine caregiving burden and levels of distress, accommodating behaviours, expressed emotion (EE) and carers' skills, in parents of adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Method A semi-structured interview assessed the objective burden (time spent across caregiving tasks) in parents (n = 196) of adolescents (n = 144) receiving outpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa. Subjective burden (carers' distress), accommodating behaviours, EE and carers' skills were measured by self-report. Results Mothers, on average, spent 2.5 h/day of care, mainly providing food and emotional support, compared with 1 h/day by fathers. The level of distress and accommodating behaviour wa…

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A longitudinal examination of dyadic distress patterns following a skills intervention for carers of adolescents with anorexia nervosa

Family interventions in anorexia nervosa (AN) have been developed to ameliorate maladaptive patterns of patient-carer interaction that can play a role in illness maintenance. The primary aim of this study is to examine the inter-relationship between baseline and post-treatment distress in dyads of carers and patients with AN to examine the interdependence between carers and patients. The secondary aim is to examine whether a carer skills intervention [Experienced Carer Helping Others (ECHO)] impacts on this inter-relationship. Dyads consisting of treatment-seeking adolescents with AN and their primary carer (n = 149; mostly mothers) were randomised to receive a carer skills intervention (EC…

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The Objective and Subjective Caregiving Burden and Caregiving Behaviours of Parents of Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa

Objective: The study aimed to examine caregiving burden and levels of distress, accommodating behaviours, expressed emotion (EE) and carers' skills, in parents of adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Method: A semi-structured interview assessed the objective burden (time spent across caregiving tasks) in parents (n = 196) of adolescents (n = 144) receiving outpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa. Subjective burden (carers' distress), accommodating behaviours, EE and carers' skills were measured by self-report. Results: Mothers, on average, spent 2.5 h/day of care, mainly providing food and emotional support, compared with 1 h/day by fathers. The level of distress and accommodating behaviour…

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Development and validation of a scale to measure caregiver skills in eating disorders

Objective:- The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new questionnaire designed to measure caregiver skills that, in line with the interpersonal component of the cognitive interpersonal maintenance model (Schmidt and Treasure, J Br J Clin Psychol, 45, 343–366, 2006), may be helpful in the support of people with anorexia nervosa (AN). A further aim is to assess whether this scale is sensitive to change following skills-based caregiver interventions. Method:- The Caregiver Skills (CASK) scale was developed by a group of clinicians and caregivers. Preliminary versions of the scale devised for both caregivers and parents were given at baseline and at follow-up after two studies of ca…

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Effects of COVID‐19 lockdown on eating disorders and obesity: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract Objective This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to examine: the pooled prevalence of symptomatic behaviours and mental health deterioration amongst individuals with eating disorders (EDs) and obesity during the COVID‐19 confinement. Moreover, we examined changes in EDs and distress before and during the confinement, and the association between psychosocial factors and EDs symptoms. Method A systematic search was carried out in biomedical databases from January 2020 to January 2021. Both cross‐sectional and longitudinal studies that used quantitative measures of ED symptoms and psychological distress during and after the COVID‐19 confinement were included. Results A total o…

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Shared genetic risk between eating disorder- and substance-use-related phenotypes: Evidence from genome-wide association studies

AbstractEating disorders and substance use disorders frequently co-occur. Twin studies reveal shared genetic variance between liabilities to eating disorders and substance use, with the strongest associations between symptoms of bulimia nervosa (BN) and problem alcohol use (genetic correlation [rg], twin-based=0.23-0.53). We estimated the genetic correlation between eating disorder and substance use and disorder phenotypes using data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Four eating disorder phenotypes (anorexia nervosa [AN], AN with binge-eating, AN without binge-eating, and a BN factor score), and eight substance-use-related phenotypes (drinks per week, alcohol use disorder [AUD], …

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An examination of the impact of care giving styles (accommodation and skilful communication and support) on the one year outcome of adolescent anorexia nervosa: Testing the assumptions of the cognitive interpersonal model in anorexia nervosa

Abstract Background The cognitive interpersonal model predicts that parental caregiving style will impact on the rate of improvement of anorexia nervosa symptoms. The study aims to examine whether the absolute levels and the relative congruence between mothers' and fathers' care giving styles influenced the rate of change of their children's symptoms of anorexia nervosa over 12 months. Methods Triads ( n =54) consisting of patients with anorexia nervosa and both of their parents were included in the study. Caregivers completed the Caregiver Skills scale and the Accommodation and Enabling Scale at intake. Patients completed the Short Evaluation of Eating Disorders at intake and at monthly in…

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