title: Behavioral and Psychophysiological Responsiveness During Child Feeding in Mothers with Histories of Eating Disorders: A Pilot Study.
abstract: The aim of this pilot project was to describe maternal responsiveness during child feeding in mothers with eating disorder histories through the combined use of observational, self-report, and physiologic methods. For this non-randomized cohort pilot study, 25 mothers with histories of eating disorders and 25 mothers with no history of an eating disorder with children ages 6-36 months were selected such that the groups were similar based on child age group (within 6 months) and child sex. Maternal behavioral responsiveness to child cues was assessed by video-recording and behavioral coding of both a free-play and feeding episode. Physiologic engagement was assessed through measurement of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity during free-play and feeding episodes. No differences were detected in observed behavioral responsiveness during feeding or free-play in mothers with eating disorder histories compared with controls. Mothers with eating disorder histories did report more parenting stress, increased anxiety, and exhibited a blunted physiologic stress response (less RSA reactivity) during both feeding and free-play interactions with their children. These results support future larger-scale investigations of RSA reactivity in mothers with eating disorders.
authors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Nutrition, 2200 McGavran-Greenberg Hall CB#7461, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors: Elizabeth R
authors: ER
authors: Hoffman
authors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Nursing, Carrington Hall CB#7460, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors: Eric A
authors: EA
authors: Hodges
authors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Center for Developmental Science, 100 East Franklin Street, Suite 200 CB# 8115, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors: Cathi
authors: C
authors: Propper
authors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Psychiatry, 101 Manning Drive CB#7160, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors: Pamela L
authors: PL
authors: Postage
authors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Psychiatry, 101 Manning Drive CB#7160, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors: Elana C
authors: EC
authors: Zipkin
authors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Nutrition, 2200 McGavran-Greenberg Hall CB#7461, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors: Margaret E
authors: ME
authors: Bentley
authors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Nutrition, 2200 McGavran-Greenberg Hall CB#7461, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA ; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, 1700 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. CB#7426, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors: Dianne S
authors: DS
authors: Ward
authors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Psychiatry, 101 Manning Drive CB#7160, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA ; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, 3101 McGavran-Greenberg Hall CB#7420, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors: Robert M
authors: RM
authors: Hamer
authors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Nutrition, 2200 McGavran-Greenberg Hall CB#7461, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA ; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Psychiatry, 101 Manning Drive CB#7160, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors: Cynthia M
authors: CM
authors: Bulik
keywords: RSA reactivity; eating disorders; feeding behavior; infant feeding; maternal responsiveness; mothers