Feeding Problems and Maternal Anxiety in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
OBJECTIVES
For mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), mealtimes can be stressful. Up to 90% of children with ASD present with problems related to food selectivity and disruptive mealtime behavior. Researchers have associated parent behaviors with maintained maladaptive feeding behaviors in children. Studies have also shown a positive association between children's feeding problems and maternal concern for their children's health, suggesting maternal anxiety and negative feelings may contribute to feeding issues. However, most research and subsequent interventions focus primarily on children.


METHOD
Cross-sectional data was gathered from sixty-four mothers of children aged 2-8 with ASD visiting a developmental/behavioral pediatric clinic in the Southeastern U.S. who completed the Behavioral Pediatric Feeding Assessment Scale (BPFAS), assessing child feeding behavior and parent strategies for feeding problems, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), measuring anxiety currently (state) and as an enduring characteristic (trait).


RESULTS
Over 50% of mothers reported clinical difficulties with child feeding. Significant associations were found between child feeding behaviors and parent feelings/strategies related to child feeding. Maladaptive maternal feelings and strategies were also significantly related to both total anxiety (r = .299, p = .027) and trait anxiety (r = .368, p = .006). Although maternal anxiety explained significant variance in child feeding behavior, parent mealtime feeling/strategies were the strongest predictors of child feeding problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal anxiety and maladaptive feeding strategies correlate with problematic child feeding behaviors, suggesting that maternal feelings and strategies may contribute to the development and maintenance of feeding behaviors in children with ASD. Treatments that address feeding problems in children with ASD may also need to address maternal behaviors.
['Zlomke|Kimberly|K|', 'Rossetti|Kristina|K|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3803-492X', 'Murphy|Jillian|J|', 'Mallicoat|Keri|K|', 'Swingle|Hanes|H|']
D000328:Adult D001007:Anxiety D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder D017028:Caregivers D002648:Child D002675:Child, Preschool D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D005247:Feeding Behavior D005260:Female D005518:Food Preferences D006801:Humans D008297:Male D062407:Meals D009035:Mothers D000066553:Problem Behavior
Feeding Maternal anxiety Children Autism spectrum disorder Parenting