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A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
Maternal and family factors and child eating pathology: risk and protective relationships
Karina L Allen1, Lisa Y Gibson2, Neil J McLean3
1Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Centre for Child Health Research, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, WA, Australia ; School of Psychology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
Insights
Maternal concern about child weight, family stress, and low maternal education predict child eating disorder symptoms. Higher family satisfaction is protective.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Eating Disorders
Background:
- Previous research links maternal and family factors to child eating disorder symptoms.
- It remains unclear if these factors predict eating disorders specifically or general child psychopathology.
- This study investigated predictors of changes in child eating disorder symptoms over time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify maternal and family factors predicting increases or decreases in child eating disorder symptoms.
- To account for child body mass index z-scores and general psychological distress.
- To differentiate specific eating disorder predictors from general psychopathology.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of 221 mother-child dyads.
- Assessments at baseline, 1-year, and 2-year follow-ups using interviews and self-reports.
- Linear mixed models and generalized estimating equations analyzed predictors of eating disorder symptoms (global index, dietary restraint, emotional eating, binge eating).
Main Results:
- Children of mothers with eating disorders showed higher eating disorder symptoms and emotional eating.
- Maternal concern about child weight significantly predicted child eating disorder symptoms over time.
- Family stress and low maternal education were risk factors; family satisfaction was protective.
Conclusions:
- Maternal concern about child weight uniquely predicts child eating disorder symptoms.
- Child-reported family satisfaction, family stress exposure, and maternal education are also unique predictors.
- Findings highlight specific family and maternal factors influencing child eating disorder symptom trajectories.
Background:
Previous studies have found associations between maternal and family factors and child eating disorder symptoms. However, it is not clear whether family factors predict eating disorder symptoms specifically, or relate to more general child psychopathology, of which eating disorder symptoms may be one component. This study aimed to identify maternal and family factors that may predict increases or decreases in child eating disorder symptoms over time, accounting for children's body mass index z-scores and levels of general psychological distress.
Methods:
Participants were 221 mother-child dyads from the Childhood Growth and Development Study, a prospective cohort study in Western Australia. Participants were assessed at baseline, 1-year follow-up and 2-year follow-up using interview and self-report measures. Children had a mean age of 10 years at baseline and 46% were male. Linear mixed models and generalised estimating equations were used to identify predictors of children's eating disorder symptoms, with outcome variables including a global index of eating disorder psychopathology, levels of dietary restraint, levels of emotional eating, and the presence of loss of control ('binge') eating.
Results:
Children of mothers with a current or past eating disorder reported significantly higher levels of global eating disorder symptoms and emotional eating than other children, and mothers with a current or past eating disorder reported significantly more concern about their children's weight than other mothers. Maternal concern about child weight, rather than maternal eating disorder symptoms, was significant in predicting child eating disorder symptoms over time. Family exposure to stress and low maternal education were additional risk factors for eating disorder symptoms, whilst child-reported family satisfaction was a protective factor.
Conclusions:
After adjusting for relevant confounding variables, maternal concern about child weight, children's level of family satisfaction, family exposure to stress, and maternal education are unique predictors of child eating disorder symptoms.
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