Psychologist attitudes, self-reported competence and practices associated with the use of dietary interventions for children presenting for psychological treatment

ABSTRACT

Objective

Despite limited evidence, children with neurodevelopmental and psychological disorders may be having dietary interventions incorporated into treatment. Little is known about psychologists’ role in influencing these decisions.

Method

Australian psychologists working with children (N=60) completed the Nutritional Competence Tool, and questions exploring psychologist attitudes, self-reported competence and practices associated with the use of dietary interventions for children presenting for psychological treatment of psychological disorders.

Results

Most respondents reported positive attitudes towards dietary interventions. Incorporating dietary interventions into clinical practice was common, with 56.7% reporting they would be likely to recommend one or more dietary interventions pre-specified for one of the conditions explored. Participants were most likely to endorse the use of dietary interventions for children presenting with oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder or other behavioural problems.

Conclusion

Despite training in evidence-based practice, some registered psychologists have positive attitudes towards dietary modifications in the treatment of children with psychological conditions, and may be susceptible to recommending dietary interventions, regardless of the limited evidence base. The conditions for which recommendations were most likely, as well as diets most commonly recommended had hallmark features of “fads”, raising several ethical concerns. Further research should determine how widespread this practise is.

Key Points

What is already known about this topic:

1. Dietary interventions do not have a robust evidence-base in treating psychological and neurodevelopmental disorders.

2. Children often receive dietary modification to aid the amelioration of symptoms of psychological and neurodevelopmental disorders.

3. Limited research suggests that psychologists may be contributing to the use of complementary and alternative treatments.

What this paper adds:

1. Some psychologists have positive attitudes towards dietary interventions for a range of psychological disorders in childhood.

2. Some psychologists report that they are likely to recommend dietary interventions for children presenting for psychological treatment.

3. Oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder were the conditions most likely elicit information about dietary interventions or recommendations to consider a dietary interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• Attitudes
• child psychology
• dietary interventions
• behaviour disorder
• fads
• diets

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).