This feasibility study will incorporate quantitative and qualitative methods and utilizes an uncontrolled pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design to examine the effectiveness and acceptability of a peer mentor delivered intervention that aims to improve transitions in youth- to adult-oriented care for patients with eating disorders (EDs) aged 16-24.~Youth will be recruited from community-based clinics, hospital programs, and private practices across Nova Scotia. Clinicians in these settings will be asked to identify potentially eligible youth who are aging out of youth-oriented treatment, who are deemed incompatible with the current standard of care treatment for youth with EDs, or who request a transition to adult-oriented care. Potential participants who are interested in participating and provide written consent will meet with a research team member for a screening meeting to determine their eligibility status. Inclusion criteria for youth participants are as follows: aged 16-24, transitioning from any youth-oriented ED treatment, signed informed consent form, and current ED diagnosis as confirmed via the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Research Version (SCID-5-RV). The only exclusion criteria for youth participants is a moderate-high suicide risk rating at screening as assessed via the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. All screening information will be reviewed by the PI (Dr. Keshen). Participants who are not interested in the study or who fail to meet the eligibility criteria will be given standard options available to treatment age youth.~Youth participants who are found eligible will be connected with a trained peer mentor for a 3-6 month transition intervention. Youth and their peer mentor will meet weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly depending on the phase of the intervention and the needs of the youth. The intervention is divided into 3 phases: phase 1 includes building a sense of trust, rapport, and motivation, as well as the identification of goals, strengths, challenges and barriers related to transition; phase 2 focuses on self-reflection, problem-solving, and transition planning; and phase 3 involves the gradual tapering off and conclusion of the peer mentor relationship.~Youth participants will be asked to complete questionnaire packages before beginning the intervention, after completing the intervention, and 12 months after beginning the intervention. Some youth will also be asked to participate in one-on-one interviews with a research team member at these same time-points. Some youth participants will be asked if they would like to involve a carer in the study, as well. Carers will be invited to participate in a one-on-one interview with a research team member 12 months after the youth they are caring for began the intervention. Peer mentors will be invited to participate in one-on-one interviews at the end of the study. The aim of the interviews is to understand experiences with eating disorder treatment, transitions in care, and the peer mentor intervention.
Participants will be males and females aged 16-24 with an eating disorder (ED) diagnosis who are transitioning from youth-oriented to adult-oriented ED treatment in Nova Scotia. Clinicians will identify potential youth participants who will be making a transition in care. Youth who are interested in participating and provide written consent will be invited to take part in a screening meeting to determine eligibility to participate. Eligible participants will be paired with a peer mentor for a 3-6 month intervention to guide them through the transition from youth-oriented to adult-oriented ED treatment. Participants will be asked to complete questionnaire packages before beginning the intervention, after completing the intervention, and 12 months after beginning the intervention. Some youth participants, as well as some of their carers and the peer mentors, will be asked to participate in one-on-one interviews about their experiences with transitions in ED care and the peer mentor intervention. The investigators are conducting this study to determine whether the use of peer mentors is an effective and acceptable means of transition support for youth with EDs. The investigators are also interested in better understanding the experiences of carers and peer mentors who are supporting youth with EDs during their transition in care.