OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between specific maternal characteristics, maternal perceptions of toddler temperament, and infantile anorexia. METHOD: Three groups of toddlers (aged 12-37 months) participated in this study: toddlers with infantile anorexia (n = 34), picky eaters (n = 34), and healthy eaters (n = 34). Mothers completed questionnaires that assessed their own eating attitudes, marital satisfaction, and their toddlers' temperament, and an interview that explored their attachment representations. Mothers and toddlers were videotaped during a feeding session, and toddlers were weighed and measured. RESULTS: Temperament ratings differentiated between infantile anorexics and healthy eaters (p < .0001), with infantile anorexics receiving higher difficulty, irregularity, negativity, dependence, and unstoppable ratings. Mothers of anorexics showed greater attachment insecurity than mothers of healthy eaters (p < .05), but they demonstrated neither overt eating pathology nor less marital satisfaction than the other groups. Thirty-nine percent of variance in feeding conflict was explained by toddlers' diagnoses, temperament ratings, and maternal characteristics. Twenty-one percent of variance in toddlers' weights was explained by temperament ratings and feeding conflict. CONCLUSION: Maternal characteristics and perceptions of their toddlers' temperament characteristics should be addressed in treatment for infantile anorexia.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between specific maternal characteristics, maternal perceptions of toddler temperament, and infantile anorexia. METHOD: Three groups of toddlers (aged 12-37 months) participated in this study: toddlers with infantile anorexia (n = 34), picky eaters (n = 34), and healthy eaters (n = 34). Mothers completed questionnaires that assessed their own eating attitudes, marital satisfaction, and their toddlers' temperament, and an interview that explored their attachment representations. Mothers and toddlers were videotaped during a feeding session, and toddlers were weighed and measured. RESULTS: Temperament ratings differentiated between infantile anorexics and healthy eaters (p < .0001), with infantile anorexics receiving higher difficulty, irregularity, negativity, dependence, and unstoppable ratings. Mothers of anorexics showed greater attachment insecurity than mothers of healthy eaters (p < .05), but they demonstrated neither overt eating pathology nor less marital satisfaction than the other groups. Thirty-nine percent of variance in feeding conflict was explained by toddlers' diagnoses, temperament ratings, and maternal characteristics. Twenty-one percent of variance in toddlers' weights was explained by temperament ratings and feeding conflict. CONCLUSION: Maternal characteristics and perceptions of their toddlers' temperament characteristics should be addressed in treatment for infantile anorexia.
Authors: Megan H Pesch; Katherine W Bauer; Mary J Christoph; Nicole Larson; Dianne Neumark-Sztainer Journal: Public Health Nutr Date: 2019-12-06 Impact factor: 4.022
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