Exploring collaboration between clinicians and parents to optimize pediatric weight management

Abstract

Objective: To explore the understanding of collaboration between clinicians working in pediatric weight management and parents of overweight children.

Methods: Clinicians (n=12) and parents (n=8) seeking pediatric weight management care participated in semi-structured focus groups or individual interviews. A family-centered, collaborative model of care was used to frame the data and develop codes/themes for analysis. Member checking and external reviews were conducted to verify emergent themes.

Results: Analyses revealed that collaboration between clinicians and parents included a positive therapeutic relationship, negotiation of health care delivery, and regular monitoring and evaluation. These elements are consistent with a philosophy of family-centered care, emphasize the importance of tailoring health services to families' needs, respect parents as experts, and identify clinician responsiveness as pivotal to partnerships with families. Parents described dissatisfaction with care and a lower likelihood of seeking future care when clinicians deviated from these principles.

Conclusion: Results suggest that pediatric weight management should be family-centered to give parents the opportunity to actively engage in health services and negotiate their family's care.

Practice implications: Clinicians may be able to optimize their interactions with families seeking pediatric weight management care by taking a family-centered approach that is individualized and responsive to families' needs.