"I Want Help!": Psychologists' and Physicians' Competence, Barriers, and Needs in the Management of Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents in Canada

Studies show that physicians are dissatisfied with their training in the area of eating disorders in general, and a number of practice barriers and training needs have been identified. There are no known studies examining attitudes and needs of physicians or psychologists with respect to eating disorders in children and adolescents in Canada. This study’s objectives are to examine primary care clinicians’ self-assessed competence, barriers, and needs with respect to the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders in children and adolescents. A 20-item survey was developed to obtain information from family physicians and psychologists in Ontario, Canada. Findings of this study suggest that, with some exceptions, selfassessments of competence are low, and barriers to practice include lack of skill, case complexity, and lack of resources. Identified training needs suggest that, despite discipline-specific differences, a large proportion of clinicians report an interest in learning more about all areas of the management of pediatric eating disorders, including prevention efforts. In Ontario, primary care clinicians are interested in receiving training and support to better identify and treat children and adolescents with eating disorders. As such, it is worthwhile to increase the number of training opportunities for students and professionals alike.