59 research outputs found
Development and Evaluation of SENSE-ational Mealtimes: a Book for Families with Mealtime Difficulties
Many families with young children experience mealtime difficulties whereby the child eats a limited range of foods and/or refuses new food. Clinical interventions typically include behaviour training, enhancement of parenting skills and nutrition education. Clinical experience and a review of the literature across several domains suggested that interventions that optimise reflective functioning and understandings about sensory preferences at mealtimes are needed for both mild and complex mealtime difficulties. This study describes the development of the SENSE-ational Mealtimes book for families with mealtime difficulties and reports the findings of the initial evaluation. A questionnaire was used to assess the change in the frequency of difficult mealtimes, level of concern, understandings, feelings and goals of mothers 2 months after the book was distributed in a community setting. Mothers also provided feedback regarding helpfulness of the book, needs of families and recommendations. There was a statistically significant improvement in all aspects, namely frequency of mealtime difficulties, level of concern, understandings, feelings and goals. The subjective data indicated that the concepts instrumental in enhancing most mothers' understandings were how sensory preferences and past experiences of all members of the family had an impact on mealtime interactions. Initial evaluation suggests that wide-spread access to the SENSE-ational Mealtimes book could be an inexpensive approach to reduce the costs of adverse effects of mealtime difficulties on the emotional well-being of families and dietary intake of children. Mothers unanimously recommended the SENSE-ational Mealtimes book for both targeted prevention of and early intervention with mealtime difficulties in families
Research review: A metaâanalysis of the international prevalence and comorbidity of mental disorders in children between 1 and 7 years
How early triadic family processes predict childrenâs strengths and difficulties at age three
This study aimed to determine longitudinal associations of early triadic family processes and 3-year-old childrenâs strengths and difficulties and to control those associations for family risk factors. In 80 families expecting their first child, we assessed parentsâ anticipations of future family relationships (Triadic Capacity) and parentsâ psychological distress, marital quality, and education level. When the children were 4 months of age, we observed triadic family interaction in a standardized laboratory play scenario. The childrenâs strengths and difficulties at age three were assessed using multiple methods. As expected,
parentsâ Triadic Capacity assessed before the child was born predicted triadic family interaction 4 months after birth. Early triadic family processes explained variance in childrenâs emotional functioning at age three over and
above the effects of family stress factors assessed before the child was born. However, early triadic family processes did not explain childrenâs co-operative behaviour or childrenâs symptoms at age three. Results also highlighted the roles of fathersâ education level in childrenâs externalizing behaviour, mothersâ psychological distress at childrenâs low co-operative behaviour, and low marital quality in childrenâs internalizing behaviour
Parenting, childcare, and childrenâs pre-kindergarten skills: exploring moderation by race and ethnicity
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