Within-Subject Effects of Stress on Weight-Related Parenting Practices in Mothers: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

Ann Behav Med. 2019 Mar 28;53(5):415-425. doi: 10.1093/abm/kay053.

Abstract

Background: Stress may compromise parenting practices related to children's dietary intake, physical activity, and sedentary behavior.

Purpose: The current study used Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to examine microtemporal sequences underlying maternal stress and subsequent weight-related parenting practices.

Methods: Mothers (n = 199) of children aged 8-12 years participated in two separate 7-day waves of EMA with up to eight randomly prompted surveys per day during children's nonschool time. EMA items assessed stress and weight-related parenting practices.

Results: When mothers reported experiencing greater stress than usual, they subsequently engaged in less physical activity parenting (e.g., encouraging physical activity; p < .05) and more sedentary screen behavior parenting (e.g., limiting TV/video games; p < .05) over the next 2 hr.

Conclusions: Addressing within-day variations in maternal stress may be an important component of parent-focused child obesity prevention interventions.

Keywords: Dietary intake; Ecological momentary assessment; Maternal stress; Physical activity; Sedentary behavior; Weight-related parenting.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Child
  • Ecological Momentary Assessment
  • Exercise*
  • Humans
  • Maternal Behavior / psychology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Mothers / psychology*
  • Parenting / psychology*
  • Sedentary Behavior*
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology*
  • Young Adult