Errington, Sonya A. (2012) The Progression of Feeding Difficulties and Associated Parental Factors from Early to Middle Childhood. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Childhood feeding difficulties are common and are influenced by parental factors. As mealtimes provide socialisation opportunities, feeding difficulties can have serious psychosocial consequences, particularly for older children due to reduced peer involvement. Studies have primarily focused on severe eating problems in infancy, with common feeding difficulties in middle childhood being overlooked. The current cross-sectional and retrospective study aimed to investigate the progression of common feeding difficulties and associated parental factors from early to middle childhood. Information about demographics, feeding behaviours and parental factors was obtained from 130 parents of healthy, normally developing children with feeding difficulties aged 15 to 119 months. Results indicate the overall frequency and number of feeding difficulties, and parental strategies, confidence, and cognitions about feeding are similar regarding younger and older children. They are also similar regarding older children with different past patterns of feeding difficulties. However as power was low, cautious interpretation is necessary. Parents of older children had more maladaptive thoughts regarding partners compared to parents of younger children although conflict was similar between partners managing different past patterns of feeding difficulties. Many more parents of older children were very concerned about feeding difficulties. This, plus over 70% in middle childhood having had previous feeding difficulties, reveals the importance of research focusing on this cohort. This study adds to the limited literature regarding the progression of feeding difficulties and associated parental factors into middle childhood and it indicates early intervention is essential as feeding difficulties may not decrease over time.
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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: | 30 Sep 2025 01:17 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Sep 2025 01:17 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | feeding difficulties ; strategies ; confidence ; cognitions ; age |
| 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/52307 |
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