The interactive effects of parental self-efficacy and child eating styles in relation to naturalistically-assessed craving, overeating, and loss of control eating.
OBJECTIVE
Parental factors have been linked to weight-related outcomes in children, though less is known regarding the role of parental self-efficacy (PSE) for promoting healthy dietary behaviors (HDBs). This study examined associations between PSE for promoting HDBs and child reports of craving, overeating, and loss of control eating in daily life. The interactive effects of PSE and child eating style (emotional eating, external eating, and restraint) were also explored.


METHOD
Thirty-eight youth (ages 8-14; 55.3% female) with overweight/obesity and their parents completed the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire for Children (DEBQ-C) and Parental Self-Efficacy for Healthy Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors Scale, respectively. Youth completed ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to report craving, overeating, and loss of control eating.


RESULTS
Generalized estimating equations indicated no consistent main effects of PSE on EMA outcomes, but PSE interacted with DEBQ-C child eating styles to predict each EMA outcome. Among children of parents with lower PSE, (a) higher emotional eating was associated with greater overeating and loss of control eating; (b) higher external eating was associated with greater craving; and (c) higher restraint was associated with greater loss of control eating and craving. Conversely, these associations were attenuated among children of parents with higher PSE.


DISCUSSION
Together findings suggest the interplay of child characteristics and PSE regarding children's eating behaviors warrants future investigation in the context of eating and weight disorders. In particular, further research is needed to examine the directionality of effects and mechanisms underlying these associations.
['Smith|Kathryn E|KE|0000-0001-6555-0060', 'Haedt-Matt|Alissa|A|', 'Dougherty|Elizabeth N|EN|0000-0001-6512-7158', 'Ivins-Lukse|Melissa|M|', 'Goldschmidt|Andrea B|AB|']
D000293:Adolescent D002648:Child D066249:Craving D005247:Feeding Behavior D005260:Female D006801:Humans D006963:Hyperphagia D008297:Male D020377:Self Efficacy D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
parents self-efficacy craving overeating loss of control eating ecological momentary assessment