Body image concerns have been linked to diverse mental health issues, including depression and disordered eating. Disordered eating can develop into clinically significant eating disorders, which are associated with serious negative impacts on psychological and physical well-being, and can adversely impact developmental trajectories in children and adolescents. Given limitations in the eating disorder intervention literature, it is important to invest in effective eating disorder prevention programs. Evidence suggests that children can recognize the existence of societal appearance ideals as early as age 3; thus, this study examines the acceptability and feasibility of a single-session, online, parent-focused intervention targeting predictors of body image disturbance in young children.
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Child Body Image Development Workshop
BehavioralThis is an online, single-session, modular intervention for parents of children that are two-to-six years old. It is designed to target and improve child body image development by providing psychoeducation and interactive activities to parents in each of the four modules. Modules include Body Image Development/Body Talk, Food Talk, Picky Eating and Mealtime Conversations, and Media Usage and Social Comparison. These modules were designed using the results of our previously completed Needs Assessment, as well as the current evidence-base regarding risk factors for the development of body image in young children.
Acceptability
Acceptability will be examined via questions about intervention credibility and expectancy to be completed by workshop participants post-intervention, adapted from the well-establish Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire (e.g., "At this point, how logical does the intervention seem to you?" "At this point, how successful do you think this information will be in reducing your concerns about your child's eating patterns?").
Recruitment
Feasibility includes recruitment and retention rates and measurement burden. First, feasibility will be defined as successful recruitment of 50 moms and 50 dads.
Retention
Feasibility includes recruitment and retention rates and measurement burden. Second, feasibility will be defined as retention of 85 % of participants through the entire intervention.
Missingness
In addition, minimal missing data as well as survey items completed will be looked at as measures of feasibility. Less than 5 % of missing data will be required for the study to be considered feasible.
Initial Efficacy
In Phase 2, 50 parents in the intervention group will complete the intervention, and then complete knowledge checks. 50 parents in the control group will not complete the intervention, and will only complete the knowledge checks. As a measure of initial efficacy, a t-test will be used to compare performance on the knowledge checks in the treatment vs. control group.
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