title: Psychosocial factors and health perceptions in parents and children who are overweight or obese.
abstract: This study examined the relationships among weight status (BMI), health perceptions, and psychosocial characteristics in children, parents, and parent-child dyads. A convenient sample of 114 parent-child dyads participated. All children were overweight or obese. Parents and children completed questionnaires by self-report or interview. Questionnaires included the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI), the Parents' Stage of Change (SOC) Questionnaire, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). Child's mean age was 10.34 years (s.d. = 1.87), mean BMI was 28.13 kg/m(2) (s.d. = 5.46), and mean BMI z-score was 2.17 (s.d. = 0.38). Parent mean age was 37.28 years (s.d. = 12.66) and mean BMI was 34.07 kg/m(2) (s.d. = 8.18). Most parents (68.5%) reported that they and their children (70.7%) were African American and many (44.3%) reported that they and their children were Hispanic. Significant correlations included: child health perceptions and child BMI (r = 0.309, P < 0.001) and parent perception of weight and parent BMI (r = 0.691, P < 0.001). For parent-child dyads, one correlation approached significance (child health perceptions and parent stage of change (r = -0.269, P < 0.01). Findings suggest that characteristics of parent-child dyads may be important considerations in the management of childhood obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. moneil@drexel.edu
authors.forename: Margaret E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: O'Neil
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Shewokis
authors.forename: Kathleen K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Falkenstein
authors.forename: Cynthia W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: DeLago
authors.forename: Sinclair A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Nicole A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Vaughn
authors.forename: Tracy E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Costigan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires