Evaluating social validity in practice: Parents' experiences of an eating intervention for children with avoidant...

This study aimed to explore parents' experiences following an eating intervention for children with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), focusing on the perceived significance of goals, the acceptability of intervention procedures, and the relevance of outcomes within a social validity framework.

Forty children, meeting criteria for ARFID and referred to a regional multiprofessional eating team were included, along with 67 caregivers. A retrospective mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data consisted of parent-reported goal-attainment ratings collected from pre- and post-intervention. Qualitative data were derived from retrospective reviews of medical charts and analyzed using content analysis. The analysis examined the intervention process, documented outcomes, and their alignment with core domains of the social validity framework.

Intervention goals were perceived as meaningful and relevant to everyday eating and feeding challenges, and documented experiences reflected varying levels of acceptability and perceived benefit. Analyses showed that parents' visual analogue scale scores were significantly lower following the intervention. Paired-samples t-tests revealed changes in parents' reports of weight concern, mealtime functioning, and concerns about the child's eating from pre- to post-intervention.

The findings underscore the importance of having a holistic and individualized approach to eating interventions. Tailoring interventions to individual family circumstances and priorities may enhance relevance, acceptability, and overall impact.