Impact of Disruptive Behavior in Childhood Feeding Difficulties

AbstractPediatric feeding problems occur in 25 –40% of all children and disproportionately affect children with health and/or developmental concerns. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at particularly high risk for feeding difficulties, though the connection between ASD and feeding problems is not well understood. As issues relat ed to problematic feeding behavior frequently present to outpatient pediatric clinics, there is a need to understand the common factors that contribute to the development of both adaptive and maladaptive feeding behaviors. The current study examined predictors of problematic feeding behavior in chil dren with and without ASD. Parents of children with ASD reported significantly greater child disruptive behavior, parenting stress, child feeding difficulties, and problematic parental feelings and strategies regarding feeding. Child disruptive behavior and parenting stress contributed the most vari ance in the prediction of child feeding difficulties and the relation between child disruptive behavior and feeding difficulties was partially mediated by parental strategies and feelings.
Source: Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research