LaMarre Andrea, Couturier Jennifer, Dimitropoulos Gina, Jones Shaleen, Kumar Sonia, Obeid Nicole, Wozney Lori
Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.
McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
J Eat Disord. 2024 Sep 4;12(1):133. doi: 10.1186/s40337-024-01068-y.
Evidence for the value of peer support for eating disorders (EDs) is growing. Peer support is not a replacement for treatment, but can provide hope for recovery, enhance motivation for treatment, and increase feelings of connectedness and belonging for those experiencing EDs. In this study, we explored peer mentees' experiences of peer support for EDs to better understand the impact of peer support and its role in the Canadian treatment and support continuum. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 people who had received peer support (group, one-on-one, or chat) and conducted a reflexive thematic analysis through a critical realist lens. We developed four themes. Participants described the importance of connecting with others who had "been there," which helped generate a sense of belonging and connectedness. They also highlighted aspects of the peer support "container" that needed to be in place, such as guidelines for groups and agreements for one-on-one mentoring. When peer support was delivered well, participants described how it helped them help themselves through increasing motivation, communication skills, and other coping skills. Finally, participants described the unique role of peer support within the treatment continuum, as a modality that was accessible, free, and delivered in a way that focused on the whole person. Together, our findings illustrate the value of peer support and considerations for enabling effective and safe peer support delivery.
同伴支持对饮食失调症（EDs）的价值证据正在增加。同伴支持并非治疗的替代品，但可以为康复带来希望，增强治疗动力，并增加饮食失调症患者的联系感和归属感。在本研究中，我们探索了饮食失调症同伴支持接受者的经历，以更好地理解同伴支持的影响及其在加拿大治疗和支持连续体中的作用。我们对20名接受过同伴支持（团体、一对一或聊天）的人进行了半结构化访谈，并通过批判实在论的视角进行了反思性主题分析。我们得出了四个主题。参与者描述了与“有过相同经历”的人建立联系的重要性，这有助于产生归属感和联系感。他们还强调了同伴支持“框架”中需要具备的方面，例如团体指导方针和一对一辅导协议。当同伴支持实施得当时，参与者描述了它如何通过增强动力、沟通技巧和其他应对技巧来帮助他们自助。最后，参与者描述了同伴支持在治疗连续体中的独特作用，它是一种可获得、免费且以关注整个人的方式提供的模式。总之，我们的研究结果说明了同伴支持的价值以及实现有效和安全的同伴支持实施的考虑因素。
