Predicting factors of preschooler's parental feeding behaviors, urban Thailand

Abstract

This descriptive correlational study aimed to identify the predicting factors and to examine direct and indirect relationships of preschoolers' parental feeding behaviors (PFB), urban Thailand. The conceptual framework was developed guided by Orem's self-care theory. A Multi-stage sampling was used to recruit 443 parents of preschoolers from 11 schools in Bangkok and city municipalities in all regions of Thailand. Six questionnaires demonstrated acceptable content and construct validity, and reliability were used to ask all participants to complete all questionnaires. Data were collected from November 2018 to May 2019. Most of the participants were mothers (71%). Half of them were aged 31-40 years (50.3%). One third of the participants were employee (34.3%). Most of them had 2 children (43.1%) and one child (39.7%). Path analysis (AMOS 22) was used to test the relationships among variables.

For the findings, the hypothesized path model of the PFB among preschoolers’ parents, urban Thailand was analyzed. A just-identified model was presented, which meant a perfect fit. The hypothesized model fit the empirical data and could explain 56% (R2=.56) of the variance of the PFB. Parental feeding attitude had a positive direct relationship (ß=0.17), and had a positive indirect relationship with the PFB through benefits of PFB (ß=0.16). Parental eating habits had a positive direct relationship (ß=0.36), and had a positive indirect relationship with the PFB through benefits of PFB (ß=0.43). Barriers to PFB had a negative direct relationship (ß=-0.20), and had a negative indirect relationship with the PFB through benefits of PFB (ß=-0.16). Moreover, benefits of PFB has a positive direct relationship with the PFB (ß=0.29). All independent variables had significant relationships with the PFB at the .05 level.

The findings indicated that the highest impact factor influencing the PFB was parental eating habits, followed by the benefits of PFB, the barriers to PFB, and parental feeding attitude respectively. Identifying these variables can help pediatric nurses to develop interventions specific to preschoolers’ parents in urban, Thailand to improve their feeding behaviors as well as preschooler’s health.