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Sensory Eating Problems Scale (SEPS) for children: Psychometrics and associations with mealtime problems behaviors

Laura Seiverling1, Keith E Williams2, Helen M Hendy3

  • 1Ball State University, USA.

Appetite
|November 18, 2018
PubMed

Insights

The Sensory Eating Problems Scale (SEPS) helps assess sensory issues in children

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric feeding disorders
  • Child psychology
  • Sensory processing in children

Background:

  • Sensory aspects significantly influence children's eating behaviors.
  • Existing measures may not fully capture the nuances of sensory feeding challenges.
  • Understanding these challenges is crucial for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate the Sensory Eating Problems Scale (SEPS).
  • To assess the psychometric properties of SEPS subscales.
  • To examine the relationship between sensory feeding problems and mealtime behavior issues in children.

Main Methods:

  • Development of the 22-item SEPS based on caretaker surveys.
  • Factor analysis to identify SEPS subscales.
  • Analysis of data from 449 caretakers of children in feeding clinics, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  • Statistical analyses (ANCOVA, multiple regression) to examine associations.

Main Results:

  • Six SEPS subscales demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties: Food Touch Aversion, Single Food Focus, Gagging, Temperature Sensitivity, Expulsion, and Overstuffing.
  • Younger age and special needs were associated with higher SEPS scores.
  • Specific SEPS subscales significantly predicted mealtime behavior problems, explaining 18-44% of the variance.

Conclusions:

  • The SEPS is a reliable and valid tool for measuring sensory feeding problems in children.
  • Sensory feeding issues are linked to various mealtime behavior problems.
  • The SEPS can aid clinicians and researchers in assessing and intervening in pediatric feeding difficulties.

Keywords:
Diet varietyFood touch sensitivityGaggingMealtime behavior problemsOverstuffingSensory feeding problems

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