Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Functional Analysis of the Larval Feeding Circuit in Drosophila
09:23

Functional Analysis of the Larval Feeding Circuit in Drosophila

Published on: November 19, 2013

10.8K

Confirmatory factor analysis of the parental feeding style questionnaire with a preschool sample

Katherine M Kidwell1, Cara Tomaso2, Alyssa Lundahl2

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA. kkidwell56@gmail.com.

Eating and Weight Disorders : EWD
|November 15, 2018
PubMed

Insights

The Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire (PFSQ) requires a five-factor model for accurate assessment of feeding styles in preschoolers. This study provides evidence for a revised 21-item PFSQ structure, improving its utility in research and clinical practice.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatric Health

Background:

  • Parental feeding styles significantly influence children's eating behaviors and long-term health.
  • The Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire (PFSQ) is a common tool for assessing these styles in young children.
  • A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the English PFSQ was lacking, necessitating validation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct the first CFA on the English version of the PFSQ in a US sample.
  • To establish preliminary evidence for the factor structure of the PFSQ in preschoolers.
  • To refine the PFSQ for improved assessment of parental feeding styles.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 297 parents of preschoolers (aged 3-5 years).
  • Parents completed the PFSQ in a pediatric dentistry office waiting room.
  • Robust maximum likelihood factor analyses were employed to examine the PFSQ structure.

Main Results:

  • The original four-factor model of the PFSQ was not confirmed.
  • A five-factor model demonstrated preliminary support, including Control over Eating, Instrumental Feeding, Emotional Feeding, Encouragement of Variety, and Prompting of Eating.
  • Model fit indices (CFI=0.91, SRMR=0.06, RMSEA=0.05) supported the five-factor solution.

Conclusions:

  • The original four-factor structure of the PFSQ requires modification for accurate use.
  • A revised five-factor model, reduced to 21 items, offers a better fit for assessing parental feeding styles.
  • This validated structure enhances the PFSQ's utility in research and clinical settings.
Abstract

Keywords:
Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA)Feeding stylePediatric feeding styles questionnairePreschoolValidity

More Related Videos

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure07:56

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure

Published on: September 19, 2019

10.8K
Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis10:16

Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis

Published on: December 16, 2016

50.9K

Related Concept Videos

Parenting Styles01:27

Parenting Styles

Diana Baumrind's four parenting styles — authoritarian, authoritative, neglectful, and permissive — each influence children's socio-emotional development differently.
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...
672
Attachment Styles01:24

Attachment Styles

Jeffrey Simpson's attachment theory suggests that early caregiver relationships shape lasting patterns of behavior and emotional regulation, known as attachment styles. These patterns are organized along two key dimensions: self-esteem and interpersonal trust. The intersection of these dimensions produces four primary attachment styles that typically persist throughout life and significantly influence how individuals form and maintain relationships.Secure Attachment StyleIndividuals with a...
432
Parental Care00:55

Parental Care

Many animals exhibit parental care behavior, including feeding, grooming, and protecting young offspring. Parental care is universal in mammals and birds, which often have young that are born relatively helpless. Several species of insects and fish, as well as some amphibians, also care for their young.
12.8K
Hazan and Shaver's Attachment Styles01:28

Hazan and Shaver's Attachment Styles

Attachment theory, developed initially to explain infant–caregiver bonds, has been extended to illuminate patterns of intimacy in adult romantic relationships. Psychologists Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver proposed that the attachment styles observed in infancy form a framework for how individuals approach emotional closeness and conflict in adulthood. These attachment styles—secure, avoidant, and anxious—are linked to enduring patterns of behavior and emotional regulation in...
476
Relationship with Parents: Attachment01:28

Relationship with Parents: Attachment

Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...
263
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity01:23

Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity

Adolescence is a pivotal period of identity formation, during which individuals begin to answer questions central to their sense of self, such as "Who am I?" and "Who do I hope to become?" Both parents and peers play critical roles in guiding adolescents through this complex developmental phase.
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
572