Exploring Determinants of Parent Behaviors During Eating Episodes

Abstract

Objective: To develop a conceptual model of determinants of parent feeding behaviors with preschoolers.

Design: Semistructured in-depth interviews were collected and transcribed verbatim.

Setting: University of Houston.

Participants: Parents of preschool-aged children (aged 2-5 years).

Phenomenon of interest: Determinants of parent behaviors during eating episodes with preschoolers.

Analysis: Trained coders conducted thematic analysis with constant comparison of all interviews.

Results: The final sample (n = 20) included predominantly white (60%), married (70%) mothers (75%) from middle socioeconomic conditions (100% had at least some college education; 70% had a household income >$50,000). Five categories of themes emerged: child behaviors, proactive parent behaviors, reactive parent behaviors, contextual factors, and parent beliefs. The themes were organized into a conceptual model to describe how parents and children influenced each other's behaviors depending on the context and parent beliefs of themselves and their child.

Conclusions and implications: A conceptual model outlining several determinants of parent feeding behaviors among preschoolers was developed. Next steps in the research are to validate the conceptual model identified in this qualitative study on a large, nationally representative sample.

Keywords: eating behaviors; feeding practices; interviews; preschoolers; qualitative study.