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Maternal core beliefs and children's feeding problems.
Jackie Blissett1, Caroline Meyer, Claire Farrow
1School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom. j.blissett@bham.ac.uk
The International Journal of Eating Disorders
|February 26, 2005
Summary
Maternal core beliefs significantly impact childhood feeding problems, with specific beliefs linked to issues in girls and different beliefs associated with feeding difficulties in boys. Understanding these gender-specific links is crucial for intervention.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Maternal Mental Health
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Maternal mental health issues are linked to childhood feeding difficulties.
- Limited research explores the role of broader maternal cognitions in these feeding problems.
- This study investigates gender differences in the maternal cognition-child feeding problem relationship.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between mothers' core beliefs and their children's feeding problems.
- To identify gender-specific patterns in these associations.
- To understand the contribution of maternal cognitions to childhood feeding difficulties.
Main Methods:
- 103 mothers of girls and 93 mothers of boys (7–64 months) participated.
- Participants completed the Young Schema Questionnaire and the Child Feeding Assessment Questionnaire.
- Statistical analyses controlled for child age.
Main Results:
- Maternal core beliefs were clearly linked to feeding difficulties in girls, including abandonment, failure to achieve, dependence, incompetence, enmeshment, defectiveness, and shame.
- Emotional deprivation and subjugation beliefs were associated with food fussiness and refusal in boys.
- Gender-specific relationships between maternal cognitions and feeding problems were observed.
Conclusions:
- Maternal core beliefs play a significant role in reported childhood feeding difficulties.
- The specific maternal beliefs associated with feeding problems differ based on the child's gender.
- Further research is needed to clarify causality and the precise nature of these gender-specific relationships.