A study has shown that parents of food-allergic children feel better able to cope after attending a group workshop. In the trial, children (aged 5 to 7 years) with a food allergy and their parents attended one of four half-day workshops. Parents completed self-report measures of perceived competence in coping with food allergy at 3 time points: preworkshop (within 8 weeks of the intervention), postworkshop (immediately after the intervention), and follow-up (4-8 weeks after the intervention). Parents completed a measure of burden associated with food allergy at preworkshop and follow-up.

The study results showed the burden level perceived by parents was significantly less following workshop attendance, and indicate group intervention may be a means to reduce the substantial stress parents feel in relation to the demands of allergy management.

Reference: Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology August 2008. Vol 101 (2), pp. 160-165.