title: Development of a theory-based questionnaire to assess structure and control in parent feeding (SCPF).
abstract: Parents shape children's eating environments and act as powerful socialization agents, impacting young children's behavioral controls of food intake. Most feeding measures assess parents' use of control to manage children's intake of energy dense foods. The Structure and Control in Parent Feeding (SCPF) questionnaire was developed to assess more positive aspects of feeding practices with their young children -setting limits, providing routines-that promote self-regulation, as well as controlling feeding practices.
  
  
  
  A mixed method approach was used to develop the SCPF. In 2013, cognitive interviews informed the modification, deletion and/or replacement of items. In 2014, the survey was distributed statewide to mothers of toddlers aged 12 to 36 months participating in the Women, Infants, and Children program. In 2016, exploratory factor analyses was conducted to test our theoretical parenting model and content validity and criterion validity were assessed (n = 334).
  
  
  
  Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and second-order EFA revealed a 2-factor, 22-item Structure model and a 2-factor, 12-item Control model. Internal consistencies for all factors exceeded 0.70. As predicted, the Structure superfactor was positivity associated with responsiveness, whereas the Control superfactor was positively associated with demandingness on the Caregiver's Feeding Styles Questionnaire. The Structure subscales were also positively associated with mealtime behaviors and Control subscales were positively associated with control-oriented feeding measures from the Control in Parent Feeding Practices questionnaire.
  
  
  
  The SCPF questionnaire is a reliable tool that can be used to assess aspects of structure- and control-based feeding practices to better understand how parents feed their toddlers.
authors.affiliation: Center for Childhood Obesity Research, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA. jfs195@psu.edu.|Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA. jfs195@psu.edu.|Department of Nutritional Sciences, Center for Childhood Obesity Research, The Pennsylvania State University, 129 Noll Laboratory, University Park, PA, 16802, USA. jfs195@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.affiliation: Center for Childhood Obesity Research, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Brandi Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Rollins
authors.affiliation: The Methodology Center, The Pennsylvania State University, 204 E. Calder Way, Suite 400, University Park, PA, 16801, USA.
authors.forename: Kari C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kugler
authors.affiliation: Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia, 176 Dawson Hall, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Leann L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Birch
authors.affiliation: Center for Childhood Obesity Research, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Michele E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Marini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D009765:Obesity; D016487:Parenting; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Control; Exploratory factor analysis; Feeding practices; Low-income; Parenting; Scale development; Structure; Theoretical; Toddlers aged 12 to 36 months