Feasibility of the TransitionED Framework for Youth and Young Adults With Eating Disorders

Summary

Moving from pediatric (children's) health care to adult health care can be challenging for youth and young adults with eating disorders. Many young people and families report feeling unprepared, unsure of what to expect, and worried about losing support during this time. Gaps in care during this transition can increase stress and make recovery more difficult.

This study is testing a structured transition support program called the TransitionED framework. The goal is to see whether this program can be successfully used in real hospital settings and whether youth, caregivers, and clinicians find it helpful.

The TransitionED framework is designed to help youth and families prepare for the move to adult care. It includes:

1. A transition planning package for youth
2. A separate planning package for caregivers
3. At least two guided transition meetings with a clinician
4. A short "Personal Transition Profile" written by the youth to help new adult providers understand them better
5. Optional virtual peer support sessions for youth and for caregivers
6. Tools to help pediatric and adult providers communicate more clearly

Youth who are 16 years or older and currently receiving care in a participating pediatric eating disorder program may be invited to join, along with one caregiver. Clinicians and program leaders will also take part to help deliver and evaluate the program.

Participants will complete surveys at the beginning of the study, about two months later, and six months after finishing the program. Some participants will also take part in interviews to share their experiences.

This study is focused on feasibility. That means the main goal is to learn whether this transition program is practical, acceptable, and workable in everyday clinical care. What we learn will help improve transition support for youth and young adults with eating disorders in the future.

Conditions

• Eating Disorders in Adolescence
• Transition of Care

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

TransitionED Healthcare Transition Framework

The TransitionED Healthcare Transition Framework is a structured, guideline-informed, multi-component intervention designed to support youth and young adults with eating disorders transitioning from pediatric to adult care. Unlike standard transition practices, this framework integrates youth and caregiver transition planning packages, clinician-led structured transition meetings, a youth-authored Personal Transition Profile to support information transfer, optional peer support sessions, and a program-level communication and collaboration guide. The framework is embedded within routine clinical care and focuses on system-level coordination, readiness building, and continuity across pediatric and adult services.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Calgary

  collaborator OTHER

• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• McMaster Children's Hospital

  collaborator OTHER

• McMaster University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jennifer Couturier, MD, MSc · McMaster University

• Georgina Dimitropoulos, MSW, PhD, RSW · University of Calgary

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

16 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-05-31

Primary Completion

2028-03-31

Completion

2028-03-31

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations