Abstract
Objective: Mealtime emotional climate (MEC) is related to parent feeding and mental health, and possibly to child food consumption. However, MEC has been inconsistently assessed with a variety of coding schemes and self-report instruments, and has not been examined longitudinally. This study aims to characterize MEC systematically using an observational, count-based coding scheme; identify whether parent feeding or mental health predict MEC; and examine whether MEC predicts child food consumption and weight. Methods: A subsample of parents (n=74) recruited from a larger study completed questionnaires when children were about 37 months, participated in a home visit to videotape a mealtime when children were about 41 months, and completed questionnaires again when children were about 51 months old. Maternal and child positive and negative emotions were coded from videotaped mealtimes. Observational data were submitted to cluster analyses, to identify dyads with similar emotion expression patterns, or MEC. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of MEC, and Analysis of Covariance was used to examine differences between MEC groups. Results: Dyads were characterized as either Positive Expressers (high positive, low negative emotion) or All Expressers (similar positive and negative emotion). Increased food involvement feeding practices were related to decreased likelihood of being an All Expresser. Positive Expressers reported that their children ate more healthy food, compared with All Expressers. Conclusions: Observed MEC is driven by maternal emotion, and may predict child food consumption. Food involvement may promote positive MEC. Improving MEC may increase child consumption of healthy foods.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 195-206 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Journal of Pediatric Psychology |
| Volume | 43 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 1 2018 |
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Keywords
- body weight
- child
- emotions
- family
- longitudinal studies
- meals
- observational methodology
- parents
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
Cite this
Predictors and Outcomes of Mealtime Emotional Climate in Families with Preschoolers. / STRONG Kids Team.
In: Journal of Pediatric Psychology, Vol. 43, No. 2, 01.03.2018, p. 195-206.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Predictors and Outcomes of Mealtime Emotional Climate in Families with Preschoolers
AU - STRONG Kids Team
AU - Saltzman, Jaclyn A.
AU - Bost, Kelly K.
AU - Musaad, Salma M.A.
AU - Fiese, Barbara H.
AU - Wiley, Angela R.
AU - Harrison, Kristen
AU - McBride, Brent
AU - Donovan, Sharon
AU - Grigsby-Toussaint, Diana
AU - Kim, Juhee
AU - Liechty, Janet
AU - Teran-Garcia, Margarita
PY - 2018/3/1
Y1 - 2018/3/1
N2 - Objective: Mealtime emotional climate (MEC) is related to parent feeding and mental health, and possibly to child food consumption. However, MEC has been inconsistently assessed with a variety of coding schemes and self-report instruments, and has not been examined longitudinally. This study aims to characterize MEC systematically using an observational, count-based coding scheme; identify whether parent feeding or mental health predict MEC; and examine whether MEC predicts child food consumption and weight. Methods: A subsample of parents (n=74) recruited from a larger study completed questionnaires when children were about 37 months, participated in a home visit to videotape a mealtime when children were about 41 months, and completed questionnaires again when children were about 51 months old. Maternal and child positive and negative emotions were coded from videotaped mealtimes. Observational data were submitted to cluster analyses, to identify dyads with similar emotion expression patterns, or MEC. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of MEC, and Analysis of Covariance was used to examine differences between MEC groups. Results: Dyads were characterized as either Positive Expressers (high positive, low negative emotion) or All Expressers (similar positive and negative emotion). Increased food involvement feeding practices were related to decreased likelihood of being an All Expresser. Positive Expressers reported that their children ate more healthy food, compared with All Expressers. Conclusions: Observed MEC is driven by maternal emotion, and may predict child food consumption. Food involvement may promote positive MEC. Improving MEC may increase child consumption of healthy foods.
AB - Objective: Mealtime emotional climate (MEC) is related to parent feeding and mental health, and possibly to child food consumption. However, MEC has been inconsistently assessed with a variety of coding schemes and self-report instruments, and has not been examined longitudinally. This study aims to characterize MEC systematically using an observational, count-based coding scheme; identify whether parent feeding or mental health predict MEC; and examine whether MEC predicts child food consumption and weight. Methods: A subsample of parents (n=74) recruited from a larger study completed questionnaires when children were about 37 months, participated in a home visit to videotape a mealtime when children were about 41 months, and completed questionnaires again when children were about 51 months old. Maternal and child positive and negative emotions were coded from videotaped mealtimes. Observational data were submitted to cluster analyses, to identify dyads with similar emotion expression patterns, or MEC. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of MEC, and Analysis of Covariance was used to examine differences between MEC groups. Results: Dyads were characterized as either Positive Expressers (high positive, low negative emotion) or All Expressers (similar positive and negative emotion). Increased food involvement feeding practices were related to decreased likelihood of being an All Expresser. Positive Expressers reported that their children ate more healthy food, compared with All Expressers. Conclusions: Observed MEC is driven by maternal emotion, and may predict child food consumption. Food involvement may promote positive MEC. Improving MEC may increase child consumption of healthy foods.
KW - body weight
KW - child
KW - emotions
KW - family
KW - longitudinal studies
KW - meals
KW - observational methodology
KW - parents
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85041402304&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85041402304&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/jpepsy/jsx109
DO - 10.1093/jpepsy/jsx109
M3 - Article
VL - 43
SP - 195
EP - 206
JO - Journal of Pediatric Psychology
JF - Journal of Pediatric Psychology
SN - 0146-8693
IS - 2
ER -