Addressing Eating Disorders in Schools: An Accessible Pamphlet Series and Educational Resource for Educational Support Staff, Teachers, Parents, and Students

Abstract Addressing Eating Disorders in Schools: An Accessible Pamphlet Series and Educational Resource for Educational Support Staff, Teachers, Parents, and Students By Lucille Prince Master of Science in Counseling, School Psychology Eating disorders are severe conditions, often affecting children, adolescents, and young adults during developmentally important stages in life (Lindstedt et. al., 2018). Eating disorders are associated with long-term complications including decreased mental and physical health, poor quality of life, and increased mortality rates (Barile, J. P., 2015). The age of eating disorder onset typically occurs in childhood and adolescence and can progress well into adulthood. Given the age of onset of eating disorders, it should be no surprise to school personnel (e.g., administrators, teachers, nurses etc.) when students begin to demonstrate signs of such disorders. Despite this, there is an abundance of research based literature showing that school personnel lack the training, knowledge and resources to provide prevention, intervention, and support services to this student population (Knightsmith et. al., 2013). It may be, given the overwhelming responsibility already placed upon our K-12 system that school officials do not feel confident to address this systemic problem. This project advances current appreciation, understanding and preparedness surrounding eating disorders in children and adolescents, with a primary goal of improving the level of support this population of students receives in school. The handbook developed as a result of this project is meant to serve as an enhancement to general staff training regarding student wellness, physical health, and social-emotional development. By introducing a deeper understanding of eating disorders, signs and symptoms, physical and social emotional effects, and outcomes, educators are able to develop the competence and skills necessary to provide appropriate support and intervention. Additionally, by offering research-based interventions and therapeutic techniques, it is our goal to encourage schools to utilize current data and engage in lifelong learning to ensure effective results for our students. Therefore, this handbook is designed to assist school personnel to better understand, identify, and intervene with students who are at risk of or suffering from an eating disorder. This handbook will help educators feel competent, prepared and supported when working with students who have an eating disorder or who may be experiencing challenges related to food, nutrition and body image. Moreover, this handbook will increase the overall preventative efforts in schools by allowing signs and symptoms of eating disorders to be understood and recognized earlier by school personnel than is the current norm.