Mealtime Interactions Research Articles

TangibleTale: Designing Tangible Child–Parent Interactive Storytelling for Promoting Eating Behaviors

Tangible narrative allow children to interact with physical objects and provides an immersive storytelling approach to influence their cognition and behavior. However, research on using tangible narratives to encourage behaviors in children remains limited. To improve children’s eating behaviors, we combined narrative transportation theory with behavior change principles to conduct a design study, called TangibleTale. Specifically, we conducted a formative user study (N = 12 pairs) to identify the characteristics of children’s engagement with tangible narrative and their interactions with parents, which were then incorporated into a design workshop (N = 12) to develop an interactive product comprising tangible elements and an accompanying app. With the produced outcomes, we conducted a comparative experiment (N = 24 pairs) in a home setting to verify and explore the role of tangible narrative in child–parent mealtime interaction. Finally, we formulated design guidelines for a tangible narrative that can serve as a reference to assist in creating more impactful products that foster positive behavioral growth in children.

Maternal Mobile Device Use and Mealtime Interactions With Children.

This study examined (1) whether different types of mobile device use are associated with quantity/quality of parent-child interactions and (2) moment-to-moment changes in quantity/quality of parent-child interactions when devices are used. In 47 videorecorded home mealtimes conducted in 2011 to 2013, we conducted detailed coding of maternal device use (talking, texting/scrolling, having device on table), frequency of mother and child verbalizations, child bids for attention, and maternal response to bids (contingent, no response, negative response) in 5-second intervals. We examined between-mother differences in parent-child interaction variables for a 10-percentage point increase in each type of device use comparisons using negative binomial or logistic regression. We then compared intervals when there was active mobile device use to nonuse intervals using generalized estimating equation logistic regression, predicting the odds of each parent-child interaction variable. Mothers averaged 29.8 years (SD 6.10), child age 5.97 years (SD 0.56), and 55% had completed at least some college. Higher percentage of time spent texting/scrolling was associated with a lower rate of maternal verbalization (adjusted rate ratio 0.89 [95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.95]) and contingent response (adjusted rate ratio 0.92 [0.84-1.00]) and higher odds of nonresponse (adjusted odds ratio 1.13 [1.04-1.22]). In each 5-second interval of active device use, there was decreased odds of maternal verbalizations (adjusted odds ratio 0.48 [0.34-0.69]), child verbalizations (0.62 [0.44-0.88]), contingent response (0.45 [0.28-0.74]), and higher odds of maternal nonresponse (2.36 [1.40-4.00]). These results demonstrate decreased parent-child verbal interaction and lower parent responsiveness during mobile device use, particularly with texting and scrolling.

Infant embodied requests and teacher-practitioner offers during early childhood education mealtimes

The importance of building healthy relationships with food in children's early years is of paramount importance. Building on prior work exploring the social and linguistic practices in infant eating interaction experiences, this research uses a multimodal conversation analysis approach to explore how mealtime interactions are managed as a co-constructed activity between infants (0–2 years) and early childhood teacher-practitioners. Here we will explore video data recorded during mealtimes in an early childhood setting in Mid-Wales, where infants orient to recruitments for assistance and teachers provide offers of help with food items throughout the data. Analysis demonstrates 1) infant recruitment of help through embodied ‘showing’ an item causing a problem in multimodal ways, initiating joint attention that mobilises an offer from an adult in the shape of ‘do you want me to X’ and 2) adult initiation of an offer of help in the shape of ‘would you like me to X’ that are not prompted by infants ‘showing’ an item. Such practices demonstrate infant social competence in recruiting assistance through multimodal resources, and adult's noticings that help is required and their initiation of provision of assistance. The detailed exploration into the ways in which mealtimes are a collaboratively achieved experience reveals how infants effectively contribute in resourceful ways, and how teacher-practitioner responses frame mealtimes as co-produced activities.

Shaping a moral body in family dinner talk: Children's socialization to good manners concerning bodily conduct

The family meal has been extensively investigated as a site for children's acquisition of eating-related behaviors and attitudes, as well as culture-specific rules and assumptions. However, little is known about children's socialization to a constitutive dimension of commensality and even social life: good manners concerning bodily conduct. Drawing on 20th century scholarship on body governmentality and good manners, and building on recent studies on family meal as a socialization site, the article sheds light on this overlooked dimension of family commensality. Based on a corpus of more than 20 h of videorecorded family dinner interactions collected in Italy, and using discourse analysis, the article shows that family mealtime constitutes a relevant arena where parents control their children's conduct through the micro-politics of good manners. By participating in mealtime interactions, children witness and have the chance to acquire the specific cultural principles governing bodily conduct at the table, such as “sitting properly”, “eating with cutlery”, and “chewing with mouth closed”. Yet, they are also socialized to a foundational principle of human sociality: one's own behavior must be self-monitored according to the perspective of the generalized Other. Noticing that forms and contents of contemporary family mealtime talk about good manners are surprisingly similar to those described by Elias in his seminal work on the social history of good manners, the article documents that mealtime still constitutes a privileged cultural site where children are multimodally introduced to morality concerning not only specific table manners, but also more general and overarching assumptions, namely the conception of the body as an entity that should be (self)monitored and shaped according to moral standards.

Making family meals happen: Working mothers' work–family boundary management strategies in Singapore

AbstractObjectiveWe examined how working mothers, who often juggle paid work and family meal preparation, manage work–family boundaries to optimize their family meal practice.BackgroundDespite the well‐established benefits of family meals, reconciliation of work demands with family meal preparation represents a challenge for many working mothers. A better understanding of malleable antecedents of family meals can be instrumental in enabling more families to have meals together.MethodFull‐time working mothers of young children (aged below 12) in Singapore were individually interviewed (N = 34). In addition to the information about their typical family meal arrangements, we explored work and family factors that shape family meals and the strategies working mothers use to manage work–family boundaries. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.ResultsWorking mothers adopt various work–family boundary management strategies (temporal, behavioral, and communication) to achieve desired family meal frequency and quality of mealtime interactions. Mothers' broad views on work–family management and thoughts about family meals undergird their choice of specific strategies.ConclusionThis research revealed working mothers' active management of work–family boundaries as a novel answer to the critical question of how working mothers of young children make family meals happen.ImplicationsOur research has practical implications for working mothers' ability to facilitate family meals.

An observational study of parental language during play and mealtime in toddlers at variable likelihood for autism.

Parental language input influences child language outcomes but may vary based on certain characteristics. This research examined how parental language differs during two contexts for toddlers at varying likelihood of autism based on their developmental skills. Parental language (quantity, quality, and pragmatic functions) was analyzed during dyadic play and mealtime interactions as a secondary data analysis of observational data from a study of toddlers at elevated and lower likelihood of autism. Child developmental skills and sensory processing were also assessed. Parents used more words per minute, directives, and verbs during play and more adjectives, descriptions, and questions during mealtime. Parental language differed based on child fine motor skills, receptive language, and levels of sensory hyporesponsiveness but not autism likelihood. Overall, this study found that parental language varies based on context and child developmental skills. Future research examining parental language should include pragmatic functions and context across developmental trajectories.

“You just have to spread it thin”: Perceptions and feeding experiences of Australian fathers of young children living with disadvantage

The role of fathers in feeding is an emerging field within child feeding literature. Fathers have unique contributions to make to family mealtimes and child eating behaviours. However, qualitative research on fathers' experiences is limited, especially in the context of disadvantage. This study explored fathers' perceptions of their roles and feeding practices and their lived experience of disadvantage through a symbolic interactionism lens. Twenty-five Australian fathers of children aged six months to five years who experienced socioeconomic disadvantage participated in semi-structured interviews. Five themes were constructed from reflexive thematic analysis: (i) responsibilities for foodwork are based on strengths, opportunities, and values, (ii) negotiating fatherhood identity from a place of tension to acceptance, (iii) struggling with financial and mental strain, and food insecurity, (iv) managing adversity whist prioritising feeding children, and (v) paternal feeding practices are driven by values, adversity, and emotions. The division of foodwork was contingent on family capability and employment, maternal gatekeeping, paternal attitudes and values, and intergenerational, cultural and gender norms around earning and childrearing. Economic, environmental, and emotional stressors triggered changes to fathers' feeding practices, often contradicting their ideals (e.g., providing alternative meals, using rewards and electronic devices, unstructured settings). Fathers described income and food-based strategies to protect children's food intake, which may involve caregivers forgoing meals. These findings provide insight into fathers' feeding experiences through recognising personal, interpersonal, and systemic enablers and barriers. Promoting optimal feeding practices should include targeted feeding support and broader structural interventions to address inequality. Fathers' experiences as they navigate child mealtime interactions within a context of adversity can be used to inform child feeding interventions to improve child health and development.

CAREGIVING INTERACTIONS OF FORMAL CAREGIVERS AND PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF MEASURES

Abstract A psychometrically sound assessment of caregiving interactions is essential to collect valid information about the interactions, and to establish interventions to optimize the interactions in dementia care. This review aims to identify measures of caregiving interactions between formal caregivers and persons with dementia and evaluate their psychometric properties. We conducted a systematic review of studies published by February 2023 in four databases— PubMed, PsychINFO, CINHAL, and Web of Science. COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist was chosen for quality appraisal of selected studies. Our search yielded 818 scholarly records and identified five eligible instruments (published in six scholarly records). Three measures assessed interactions between formal caregivers and persons with dementia from both caregiver and person with dementia’s perspectives while one evaluated from the caregiver perspective and the other from person with dementia’s perspective. Additionally, three measures assessed interactions based on observations while other two were based on interviews. Preliminary results showed the Communication Behavior in Dementia (CODEM) as a promising measure with some excellent psychometrics but it needed further testing with larger sample and assessment of responsiveness to change. The remaining four measures (IC-Communication-SR, Coding Scheme for Mealtime Interactions, Montreal Evaluation of Communication Questionnaire for use in Long-Term Care (MECQ-LTC), and Barnards Feeding Scale) had concerns related to low internal consistency, low reliability, and lack of adequate psychometric tests. Overall, this review identified gaps in current measures, suggesting a need to establish psychometrically sound tools to assess and optimize caregiving interactions in dementia care.

Longitudinal associations between the quality of family interactions and school-age children's narrative abilities in the context of financial insecurity.

This longitudinal study investigates whether the quality of family interactions at 3-5 years of age predicts narrative abilities in 7-9-year-old children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families. The sample consists of 67 children and their parents receiving social welfare. Family interactions were filmed during mealtime at home and coded using the Mealtime Interaction Coding System. Children's narrative abilities were measured based on their capacity to coherently elaborate and resolve stories from the Attachment Story Completion Task. Results revealed that children exposed to family interactions of higher quality make their narratives more accessible and understandable and include more appropriate expression of affects in their stories 4 years later, even after accounting for maternal education and verbal abilities. The results of this study highlight the importance of considering family interactions in the context of financial insecurity when studying socioemotional competence in childhood.

Mealtime interactions between nursing home staff and residents with dementia: a behavioral analysis of Language characteristics

BackgroundQuality staff-resident communication is crucial to promote outcomes in nursing home residents with dementia requiring assistance during mealtimes. Better understanding of staff-resident language characteristics in mealtime interactions help promote effective communication, yet evidence is limited. This study aimed to examine factors associated with language characteristics in staff-resident mealtime interactions.MethodsThis was a secondary analysis of 160 mealtime videos involving 36 nursing staff and 27 residents with moderately severe to severe dementia in 9 nursing homes. Mixed-effects models was used to examine the relationships between factors and language characteristics in staff-resident mealtime interactions. The independent variables were speaker (resident vs. staff), utterance quality (negative vs. positive), intervention (pre- vs. post-communication intervention), and resident dementia stage and comorbidities. The dependent variables were expression length (number of words in each utterance) and addressing partner by name (whether staff or resident named their partner in each utterance). All models included staff, resident, and staff-resident dyad as random effects.ResultsStaff (utterance n = 2990, 99.1% positive, mean = 4.3 words per utterance) predominated conversations and had more positive, longer utterances than residents (utterance n = 890, 86.7% positive, mean = 2.6 words per utterance). As residents progressed from moderately severe to severe dementia, both residents and staff produced shorter utterances (z=-2.66, p = .009). Staff (18%) named residents more often than residents (2.0%; z = 8.14, p < .0001) and when assisting residents with more severe dementia (z = 2.65, p = .008).ConclusionsStaff-resident communication was primarily positive, staff-initiated, and resident-oriented. Utterance quality and dementia stage were associated with staff-resident language characteristics. Staff play a critical role in mealtime care communication and should continue to initiate resident-oriented interactions using simple, short expressions to accommodate resident declining language abilities, particularly those with severe dementia. Staff should practice addressing residents by their names more frequently to promote individualized, targeted, person-centered mealtime care. Future work may further examine staff-resident language characteristics at other levels of language using more diverse samples.

Associations Between Technology Use, Responsive Feeding, and Child Temperament Among Prior Prenatal Intervention Participants.

The primary objective was to examine associations between mothers' television and mobile device (TV/MD) use and responsive feeding during an observed mother-toddler mealtime interaction. The secondary objective was to assess whether dimensions of child temperament were associated with mothers' TV/MD use. Participants from a prenatal lifestyle intervention trial to prevent excess gestational weight gain among women with overweight and obesity (N = 77) were observed during a dinner-time meal when their children were aged 19.4 ± 0.9 months. Trained video coders used the Responsiveness to Child Feeding Cues Scale to rate child strength of early/subtle, positive active, and negative active satiation cues and maternal responsiveness to these cues. Coders also recorded mothers' use of TV/MD. Child temperament was reported by mothers through the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised Very Short Form. Twelve percent (n = 9) of mothers used TV/MD during the mealtime interaction. Children whose mothers used TV/MD exhibited stronger early/subtle cues (4.1 ± 0.4) compared with children whose mothers did not use TV/MD (3.4 ± 0.2; p = 0.04). Mothers who used TV/MD exhibited significantly lower responsiveness to child satiation cues (2.0 ± 0.4) than those who did not use TV/MD (3.4 ± 0.2; p = 0.001). Greater child temperamental negative affectivity was associated with a greater likelihood of maternal TV/MD use (OR = 4.80, 95% CI = 1.21, 19.03). Mothers' TV/MD use was associated with greater child temperamental negative affectivity and lower responsiveness to child cues.

Sharing food with infants in Hadza communities in Tanzania

By analyzing mealtime interactions of Tanzanian Hadza infants with their interactional partners, we explored how two foundational schemas, namely giving/sharing and autonomy are realized and fostered in infants. We focused on three aspects of the mealtime interactions, namely how the infants’ share was protected, whether independent eating was fostered by the infants’ interactional partners, and how infants were encouraged to share food. To answer these questions, we also considered the settings that were created for infant eating, persons involved, and characteristics of the foods. Hadza infants (N = 24) between the ages of approximately 6 and 27 months were video recorded in mealtime situations. The videos were analyzed qualitatively and revealed the following patterns: First, infants’ shares were protected by eating meals in secluded places or providing infants with separate dishes. Second, independent eating was situational. It can be limited according to the child’s interest in the food or by the interactional partner. Some caregivers subtly enhanced independence by appearing unaware of infants’ signals. Third, sharing was encouraged and supported when it occurred spontaneously. Infants were also asked to share and occasionally tricked into sharing. Tolerated scrounging seemed to be generally accepted by both infants and caregivers. However, we also observed conflicts in competitive situations and somewhat overwhelmed infants. These results are discussed in light of hunter-gatherers’ foundational schemas and livelihood changes observed in the Hadza.

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MEALTIME LANGUAGE CHARACTERISTICS IN NURSING HOME STAFF AND RESIDENTS WITH DEMENTIA

Abstract Interactive staff-resident communication is crucial for nursing home residents with dementia requiring mealtime assistance. Effective communication may facilitate food intake and promote function and nutrition. However, understanding of staff and resident language characteristics in mealtime interactions is limited. This study examined language characteristics and associated factors in mealtime interactions. This was a secondary analysis using data from videotaped mealtime observations (N=160) involving 36 staff and 27 residents with moderate-to-severe dementia (53 staff-resident dyads) in 9 nursing homes. The dependent measures were 1) the number of words produced in each utterance (expression length), and 2) whether staff named the resident in each utterance (naming the resident). Mixed-effects models examined the effect of utterance quality (positive vs. negative utterances), intervention (pre- vs. post-communication training), and subject speaking (staff vs. resident), adjusting resident comorbidities and dementia stage. Staff (mean=4.30, SD=2.98) produced significantly longer utterances than residents (mean=2.64, SD=2.27). Expression length was modulated by utterance quality and intervention. Staff’s negative utterances were shorter than their positive utterances, while residents’ negative utterances were longer than their positive utterances. Staff’s negative utterances became longer after the intervention while the length of positive utterances remained similar pre- and post-intervention. Staff named the resident in 16.72% of their utterances and was more likely to name residents with severe dementia. Findings emphasize the potential benefit of communication training on mealtime interactions. Findings also highlight the need to further examine the impact of language characteristics on food intake, which may guide intervention development to promote nutrition for residents with dementia.

Maternal responsiveness and toddler body mass index z-score: Prospective analysis of maternal and child mealtime interactions

Responsive feeding, where parents are guided by children's hunger and satiation cues and provide appropriate structure and support for eating, is believed to promote healthier weight status. However, few studies have assessed prospective associations between observed parental feeding and toddler growth. We characterized toddler growth from 18 to 36 months and, in a subset of families, examined whether observed maternal responsiveness to toddler satiation cues and encouraging prompts to eat at 18 and 24 months were associated with toddler body mass index z-score (BMIz) from 18 to 36 months. Participants included 163 toddlers and their mothers with overweight/obesity who had participated in a lifestyle intervention during pregnancy. Anthropometrics were measured at 18, 24, and 36 months. In a subsample, mealtime interactions were recorded in families' homes at 18 (n = 77) and 24 (n = 75) months. On average, toddler BMIz remained stable from 18 to 36 months with 31.3% (n = 51) categorized with a healthy weight, 56.4% (n = 92) with at risk for overweight and 12.3% (n = 20) with overweight. Fewer maternal prompts to eat at 18 months was associated with both higher probability of having at risk for overweight/overweight (p < .05), and higher child 36-month BMIz (p = .002). Higher child weight status at 12 months was also associated with both higher probability of having at risk for overweight/overweight (p < .05), and higher child 36-month BMIz (p < .001). Neither 24-month maternal prompts nor 18 or 24 month responsiveness to satiation cues were associated with toddler BMIz. In this diverse sample, weight status was relatively stable from 18 to 36 months. Maternal prompts to eat measured earlier in toddlerhood and prior child weight status were associated with toddler BMIz.

Person-Centered and Task-Centered Care and Mealtime Behaviors in Nursing Home Residents With Dementia: Impact on Food Intake.

Background and ObjectivesNursing home (NH) staff mealtime care approaches are associated with behaviors of residents with dementia, but their impact on food intake remains unexplored. This study examined the role of staff person-centered and task-centered approaches and resident positive, neutral, and challenging behaviors on food intake.Research Design and MethodsVideotaped mealtime observations (N = 160) involving 36 staff and 27 residents (53 unique staff–resident dyads) in 9 NHs were coded using the refined Cue Utilization and Engagement in Dementia mealtime video-coding scheme. The dependent variable was resident food intake. The independent variables were staff person-centered approaches that support resident abilities, staff–resident (dyadic) interactions, and dining environments, staff task-centered approaches, and resident positive, neutral, and challenging behaviors. Resident challenging behaviors included mealtime functional impairments and resistive behaviors. Linear mixed modeling was used. Moderating effects of staff approaches, food type, and length of dyadic mealtime interactions (ie, video duration) were examined.ResultsThe relationship between food intake and resident mealtime functional impairments was moderated by food type (p < .001). The relationship between food intake and resident resistive behaviors was moderated by food type (p = .002) and staff person-centered verbal approaches (p = .001). The relationships between food intake and staff person-centered nonverbal approaches (p = .003) and resident positive/neutral nonverbal behaviors (p = .004) were moderated by the length of dyadic mealtime interactions.Discussion and ImplicationsFood intake was associated with staff person-centered approaches and resident positive/neutral and challenging behaviors. Findings emphasize the importance of facilitating positive dyadic interactions using individualized, context-based, multifaceted, person-centered care. Future research on temporal and causal relationships is warranted in larger diverse samples.

Factors associated with parenting stress in parents of 18-month-old children: Parenting stress in parents of toddlers.

Parenting stress is associated with less optimal outcomes for children. Risk factors contributing to parenting stress in healthy toddlers have received little empirical attention. This study sought to determine the factors that are associated with parenting stress in parents of 18-month-old children. We analysed cross-sectional survey data from a prospective cohort study focused on parent-child mealtime interactions. Families with an 18-month-old child were recruited in Columbus, Ohio, USA, between December 2017 and May 2019. Adjusted stepwise linear regression models estimated associations between child factors (e.g., temperament), parental factors (e.g., depressive symptoms), quality of romantic relationship factors (e.g., adult attachment style) and home environment factors (e.g., household income) and parenting stress (Parental Distress subscale of the Parenting Stress Index-4 Short Form). The 299 children included 129 (43%) females. Parents were on average 30.6 (SD 6.1) years old and included a diverse racial/ethnic cohort. Mean Parental Distress score was 24.3 (SD 6.8; score range 12-60). Higher Parental Distress scores were associated with greater parental depressive symptoms (B = 5.1 [95% CI: 2.4, 7.7]) and avoidant (B = 2.8 [95% CI: 0.9, 4.6]) attachment style. Other child, parental and home environment factors did not demonstrate statistically significant relationships with parental distress in the final model. Our findings align with recommendations for paediatric providers to screen for parenting stress and mental health.

Progression of Postprandial Blood Plasma Phospholipids Following Acute Intake of Different Dairy Matrices: A Randomized Crossover Trial.

Studies have indicated that the dairy matrix can affect postprandial responses of dairy products, but little is known about the effect on postprandial plasma phospholipid levels. This study investigated postprandial plasma phospholipid levels following consumption of four different dairy products that are similar in micro and macro nutrients, but different in texture and structure: cheddar cheese (Cheese), homogenized cheddar cheese (Hom. Cheese), micellar casein isolate with cream (MCI Drink) or a gel made from the MCI Drink (MCI Gel). The study was an acute randomized, crossover trial in human volunteers with four test days. Blood samples were collected during an 8 h postprandial period and the content of 53 plasma phospholipids was analysed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). No meal–time interactions were revealed; however, for nine of the 53 phospholipids, a meal effect was found. Thus, the results indicated a lower plasma level of specific lyso-phosphatidylethanolamines (LPEs) and lyso-phosphatidylcholines (LPCs) following consumption of the MCI Gel compared to the MCI Drink and Hom. Cheese, which might be attributed to an effect of viscosity. However, further studies are needed in order to reveal more details on the effect of the dairy matrix on postprandial phospholipids.

O19 A Mindful Parenting Intervention for Obesity Prevention in Early Childhood

BackgroundLimited evidence exists on how the quality of maternal-child interactions influences preschoolers’ eating and physical activity (PA) behaviors and environments and, ultimately, growth. A 6-week, mindful parenting intervention was developed to facilitate positive parent-child interactions during mealtimes and PA. The intervention targeted families with limited resources and was implemented with 33 mothers (35% Hispanic) of preschoolers living in rural, northeast Colorado.ObjectiveTo qualitatively describe parents’ experiences with a mindful parenting intervention, perceived changes to parent-child interactions during mealtimes and PA opportunities, and the feasibility of the intervention.Study Design, Setting, ParticipantsThirty program participants were invited to participate in post-intervention focus groups (n = 4 groups; n = 18 participants) and individual interviews (n = 26) in the Spring of 2020.Measurable Outcome/AnalysisRecordings were transcribed verbatim and uploaded into NVivo v12. Group coding was used to train coders and establish coder consensus. Three trained coders independently analyzed transcripts utilizing a directed content analysis approach to understand how mindful parenting concepts were utilized by caregivers to facilitate positive parent-child interactions.ResultsParents described utilizing key aspects of mindful parenting within the mealtime and PA contexts. They found program content “easy to understand” and implement in their daily routines. Parental focus and presence, and non-judgmental acceptance of child emerged as key themes. For example, parents described employing skills such as asking questions and listening intently to understand their preschooler's point of view. These strategies subsequently resulted in less stressful interactions with their preschooler.ConclusionA mindful parenting approach to promote quality parent-child interactions during mealtimes and PA was feasible and well accepted. Strategies related to mindful parenting were reported to positively influence how parents engaged with and communicated with their preschooler. Parents reported developing a greater understanding of their preschooler and feeling less stressed about mealtime and PA interactions. Limited evidence exists on how the quality of maternal-child interactions influences preschoolers’ eating and physical activity (PA) behaviors and environments and, ultimately, growth. A 6-week, mindful parenting intervention was developed to facilitate positive parent-child interactions during mealtimes and PA. The intervention targeted families with limited resources and was implemented with 33 mothers (35% Hispanic) of preschoolers living in rural, northeast Colorado. To qualitatively describe parents’ experiences with a mindful parenting intervention, perceived changes to parent-child interactions during mealtimes and PA opportunities, and the feasibility of the intervention. Thirty program participants were invited to participate in post-intervention focus groups (n = 4 groups; n = 18 participants) and individual interviews (n = 26) in the Spring of 2020. Recordings were transcribed verbatim and uploaded into NVivo v12. Group coding was used to train coders and establish coder consensus. Three trained coders independently analyzed transcripts utilizing a directed content analysis approach to understand how mindful parenting concepts were utilized by caregivers to facilitate positive parent-child interactions. Parents described utilizing key aspects of mindful parenting within the mealtime and PA contexts. They found program content “easy to understand” and implement in their daily routines. Parental focus and presence, and non-judgmental acceptance of child emerged as key themes. For example, parents described employing skills such as asking questions and listening intently to understand their preschooler's point of view. These strategies subsequently resulted in less stressful interactions with their preschooler. A mindful parenting approach to promote quality parent-child interactions during mealtimes and PA was feasible and well accepted. Strategies related to mindful parenting were reported to positively influence how parents engaged with and communicated with their preschooler. Parents reported developing a greater understanding of their preschooler and feeling less stressed about mealtime and PA interactions.

Disrupted mealtime interactions are associated with stress and internalizing symptoms in caregivers of school-age children

ABSTRACT Caregivers of children with feeding problems (FP) experience more stress and mental health concerns. This study examines the relationship between disruptive mealtime interactions and symptoms of FP with caregiver stress and mental health concerns. A community sample of 198 caregivers of school-age children completed an online survey about child mealtime problems, caregiver perceptions of the severity of their child’s FP, disrupted mealtime interactions severity, caregiver stress, and caregiver depression and anxiety (i.e., internalizing symptoms). Two-thirds of caregivers reported at least 1 mealtime problem. Child picky eating was commonly reported and occurred before and after age 6. Increase in disrupted mealtime interactions and mealtime problem severity was associated with higher ratings of caregiver stress and increased internalizing symptoms. Feeding is an interactive activity between caregivers and children. Caregiver’s perception of FP is important as negative attributions about child feeding behaviors lead to increased risks of caregiver mental health problems. Integrative care providers and psychologists are encouraged to evaluate caregivers’ feeding concerns in addition to traditional objective measures of child nutrition (e.g., growth charts), as the interactions between caregiver stress, internalizing symptoms, and child FP result in poor outcomes.

Children's humour and the grotesque pleasures in school mealtime socialisation

AbstractIn this paper, we argue for two propositions: children are socialised and guided to become competent members of school mealtime community, and children have the capacity to modify and challenge existing practices. We draw on Bakhtin's concepts of the carnivalesque laughter and grotesque realism to illustrate how children use humour to test the boundaries of what is permitted. Children's mealtime interactions foster the development of social skills to subvert and negotiate adult authority and manage unfolding interactions between children and adults. We present findings from a child‐centred perspective in a primary school in the United Kingdom.