Research Study of a Coping Skills Group for Children with Food Allergy

I'm really happy to pass this information along. It sounds like a very interesting study.

Children’s Hospital Boston is conducting a research study to investigate the usefulness of a group program for children with food allergy ages 9 to 12 years and their parents. The group is designed to help children develop coping skills to manage food allergies, as well as manage stress and anxiety that can go along with having food allergies. We hope that results of the study will help us to improve the services offered to children with food allergies and their families in the future.

If you participate in the study, you and your child will be asked to attend four 90-minute group sessions at Children’s Hospital Boston. Additionally, you and your child will be asked to attend two other study visits at Children’s Hospital Boston: the first within two weeks prior to the first group session, and the second about a month after the last group session. During these visits, you will be asked to complete questionnaires about your child’s medical history and the impact of food allergy on your and your child’s quality of life. Your child will be asked to complete questionnaires about the impact of food allergies on quality of life, attitudes about food allergies, and confidence in completing allergy management tasks. The study questionnaires will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. There is no cost to participate in the study. Participating families will receive parking vouchers and gift certificates.

This research is being conducted by Jennifer LeBovidge, Ph.D., Michael Pistiner, M.D., M.M.Sc., and Lynda Schneider, M.D. If you are interested in participating or have questions, please contact the study coordinator at (617) 355-2195.