Bohanna-Martin, Anastasia (2012) Subtypes of Feeding Difficulties in Australian Toddlers. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
There is high parental concern for feeding difficulties in toddlers. Research has acknowledged that identifying subtypes of feeding problems will enhance treatment efficacy. Also, identifying child factors related to such subtypes will assist the screening process allowing treatment to be prompt and avoid development of more severe consequences. The current study included 201 participating families from Toowoomba, Brisbane and Hervey-Bay regions. Participants were categorised into a control group and two feeding difficulty subtype groups (selective eaters and generalised). Parents completed questionnaires measuring their child’s early feeding history, nature of the feeding issue, feeding behavior problems and general behaviour problems. Observational data was also collected by video-taping a typical meal. Results indicated parents in the selective eating group were more concerned about their child’s eating followed by generalised feeding problem group and controls. Selective eaters also had significantly more problems transitioning to solid foods in earlier years. Both feeding difficulty groups had more parent-reported feeding problems and general behavior problems than controls, though selective eaters were reported to have more feeding difficulties than generalised children. The observations revealed selective eaters complained and were noncompliant more often than controls, though took significantly fewer bites, whereas controls ate appropriately more often than selective eaters. Generalised children were observed to complain more often during meals than controls. This study has contributed to research identifying child factors associated with subtypes of feeding difficulties, though further examination of these subtypes on alternative child factors would be useful.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Psychology (Up to 30 Jun 2013) |
| Supervisors: | Michelle Adamson |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Sep 2025 01:27 |
| Last Modified: | 23 Sep 2025 01:27 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | feeding ; child ; subtypes ; mealtimes ; toddlers ; eating ; fussy |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52164 |
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